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When the Tufts 10K had its 30th anniversary a couple of years ago, there were plenty of pictures. When the Falmouth Road Race celebrated its 35th anniversary last summer, there was a photo op. When the Philadelphia Distance Run hit 30, everyone was asked to say 'Cheese'.

All those races have made it a practice to honor their faithful, the durable athletes who have completed all the races in their series, by taking a group picture. The question is, in 2017 will the Sensata 5K ask a couple of dedicated runners to smile for the cameras? Or will they make them wait until 2025?

On Sunday, June 8, the third Sensata 5K will be held in Attleboro. What makes the Sensata 5K unusual is that the race is a reincarnation/continuation of the TI/Dana-Farber 5K that began in 1998. That race expired in 2005 but the Sensata 5K picked up in the following year. Both races have the same course. Both races have the same individuals on the organizing committee. But the races have different names and TI was held in June while the Sensata was held in October. Is it legitimate to say that it's the same race and the streak of consecutive races will reach 11 this year? Is it valid to expect two runners to receive longevity awards when they run their 20th race in 2017?

This dilemma began in 2006 when Bain Capital acquired the Sensors & Controls Division of TI and Sensata Technologies was born. The time of the year of the transaction caused much angst for the TI race organizers.

"We separated from TI in April 2006," said race director Doug Strott. "There was no way to plan a race for June of 2006 that year since we did not even know our new company name until April. Rather than wait until June 2007, we decided to simply move the race to the autumn. We had our first annual race in October of 2006. After our second annual race in October of 2007, we decided to move the race back to our traditional date of the second Sunday in June." Many came away greatly impressed with the first TI/Dana-Farber 5K back in 1998. In the first two years, the race drew close to 300 runners for the 5K, but support has languished over time with last years' race only pulling in just over 100 runners.

The race committee is looking to revitalize the event in its original time slot.

There were eight runners who ran the first TI 5K in June 1998 and the second Sensata 5K last October. However only two have done the eight intervening years and there's no doubt where they stand on the status of whether they're in the middle of a streak.

"I would say yes the streak is still alive," said Cumberland's Ray Mandeville. "Although the race has changed names and time of year a few times, it is effectively the same race. The race has stayed true to it's initial purpose of raising money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Other than year one, when the course was run in the opposite direction, the course is the same."

The other runner who has done all 10 to date, North Attleboro's Mark Young, concurred. "I do believe that despite the change in the sponsoring company, this does constitute a streak. For one the benefactor continues to be the same, Dana Farber. Also, the race course hasn't changed."

Curiously enough, both runners have more compelling reasons for participating than maintaining a streak. As a TI/Sensata employee, Mandeville felt an obligation to support the race.

"Peter Kryptowicz and I had originally pushed for the race at TI," he said of his now deceased friend. "Because of that involvement, the race is one I would not consider skipping. I have run the race with an injury that would most likely have caused me to not enter another race at the time. There are certain races that a runner looks forward to each year and the Sensata race is one of them. Runners are stubborn, so once a streak is started it's hard to let it end."

Young, a North Attleboro physician, will always run the race in memory of the one who initiated his streak. "I had a patient, Jim Mills, who was a long time TI/Sensata employee," he said.

"Jim was a runner for many years and in fact told me about this race when it was first organized. He participated in the race for many years. Unfortunately, Jim was diagnosed with cancer several years ago and after a courageous battle he passed away this past January. Throughout his treatment he often spoke of his wish to get back into running. I cannot think of this race without thinking of him. So no matter what the name of the race or the month it's held, as long as there's a race I'll be out there."

Pictures? When Mandeville and Young make it to 20 in 201,7 and they will, pictures is the least they can do for this duo who have taken the concept of a streak to a new level. ROB ROSE is a Sun Chronicle correspondent. Send running news to P.O. Box 600, Attleboro, MA, 02703 or via e-mail to lsxplrer@comcast.net.