Annual Pie Race Inspires Generations of NMHers

David Bernstein ’76 first visited Northfield Mount Hermon in the fall of 1972, as a prospective student on a campus tour. Near the old Cutler science building, he recently recalled, his student tour guide suddenly stopped. 

“He said, ‘I have to hold you here,’” Bernstein said. “I said, ‘Why? What's going on?’ All of a sudden, I see this wave of humanity running across what was then the football field, running towards us.”

That wave was the Bemis-Forslund Pie Race, one of the school’s oldest and most beloved traditions. “I thought to myself: Wow. What school spirit. I want to go here,” Bernstein said.

This week, 53 years later, Bernstein was back on campus for what was the 135th running of the 5K race, named in part for two alums who played key roles in its establishment — Henry Bemis, Class of 1891, and Gladys Hall Forslund, Class of 1926 — and in part for the distinctive prize that awaits its victors: apple pies, handmade by NMH Dining Services. 

This year’s Pie Race, on Nov. 10, took place in a steady downpour of rain that, impressively, did not dampen the spirits of the 381 runners — students and staff, alums and friends — eager for a shot at winning a pie. 

First place went to science teacher Jed Dioguardi, with a time of 17:56.2. Close on his heels, finishing fractions of a second apart in second, third, and fourth place, were students Eric Zhao ’27, Ahnkai Liebert ’26, and Mills Costello ’27. 

The top female finisher, with a time of 21:59.9, was Elizabeth Edwards, NMH’s student activities coordinator, while the highest-placing female student was Ellie Pinkham ’26, at 22:43.8.

Pinkham ran the race with other members of the girls’ cross-country team, all of them in bubblegum-pink tutus. As she and her teammate and fellow senior Dallena Shelton headed toward the starting line before the race, they said they were excited to take part in such a renowned school tradition. “It's been going for so long,” Pinkham said. “It's really cool that it's the longest running footrace in North America. I think it's special to kind of all come together and do what we [on the cross-country team] do all the time.”

This year's Pie Race was the first Joe McVeigh ’76 ran his since senior year, when he came in third. Joe’s father, the late Fred McVeigh, was NMH’s longtime director of admission and boys’ cross-country coach, leading the team to 10 New England championships during his tenure. 

McVeigh, wearing a vintage 1990 Pie Race T-shirt, said he was inspired to run this year with Bernstein as the two prepare to serve as co-chairs of their 50th class reunion next June. Joining them at the race were fellow Class of 1976 alums Mark Duprey and Mike LaChance, who recently retired from NMH’s Plant Facilities Department.

Paul Lessard ’75 has run Pie Race so many times that he’s lost count, but he estimates that this year was his 30th time. “We always come out for the Pie Race,” said Lessard, who couples the race with regular dinners with his former dorm head, Paul Luther. “I had an awesome experience here,” said Lessard, who attended for a postgraduate year. “I love Northfield Mount Hermon so much.”

In keeping with tradition, after the start of the Pie Race, the youngest members of the campus community competed in a Tart Race.

Photos from top: Runners from the girls' cross-country team at the starting line; winner Jed Dioguardi with his championship pie; Class of 1976 classmates David Bernstein, Mike LaChance, Mark Duprey, and Joe McVeigh; the Tart Racers on the course.

Photos 1, 2, and 4 by Matthew Cavanaugh. See more Pie Race photos on Flickr.