By Andrew Firestone
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Over 5,000 runners made it out to Davis Square last Sunday, March 13, as the Ninth Annual Ras na hEiereann made its way through Somerville.

The famed race, known for its hearty helpings of Harpoon beer upon finishing, was won by Italian expatriate Andrea Sorgato, who with a time of 14:48, won the race for a second time in a row.
“Last year I won the race, but the weather was terrible,” said Sorgato, remembering the blistering rain storm which cut the turnout of the race by around 2,000.  “This year I did much better.”
The ending featured a photo finish as  Reading native Danaiel Vassallo kept up with Sorgato neck and neck, but faded only in the last 150 meters. “I felt really good because I am training for track races, so I knew that I had to pick up the speed the last half of the race,” said Sorgato of his thrilling victory.
This year’s woman’s champion was Ashley Gorr of Brewster, who ran a blistering 17:38, but felt poorly for not beating the record of last year’s champion, national 5k record holder Molly Huddle.
“I feel good. I feel like I should’ve gone faster, but I guess today wasn’t the day: a little bit cold, a little bit windy. But I feel good,” said Gorr.
Going through the race, Gorr revealed a patient approach to the sport of running. “I went out hard, maybe a little bit too hard, then I just tried to maintain my second mile.”
“I just stayed relaxed, probably too relaxed, because it was a lot slower than my first mile. Third mile, you just give what you have to finish,” she said.
After the race, runners not nursing cramps and aches went to the many bars around Davis Square, enjoying free beer and music. The hundreds of green St. Patrick’s Day costumes heightened the festive scenery.