Happy New Year to everyone! What better way to start off the New Year than heading to a five mile road race bright and early on New Year’s Day. The MA FOP Lodge #28 Frozen Five Miler kicked off at 9AM in Norton, Massachusetts on New Year’s Day and the race conditions were much more favorable than the last time I completed this run with the sun peeking through the clouds and a crisp chill to the air being the only sign of it being winter with no snow or ice on the ground.

It is always nice to be joined by friends at a race and along with Mrs. Running Griffin some of our Thirsty Irish Runners buddies Bob, Fitzy and Anne also hit the pavement bright and early on New Year’s Day. Cousin-in-law (or something like that) Nick also kicked off the New Year in high gear and completed his first race in some time. Good work!

A nice sized group of runners made our way to the starting line and headed off onto the course for our five mile run. The first mile of the run takes runners down rather motorist friendly road though given the holiday date and time of the race the amount of cars that passed us for the mile stretch could probably be counted on one hand. After making your way off that stretch at about 1.25 miles, the race then makes its way into residential neighborhoods of Norton and keeps runners quite honest given the amount of rolling hills that are mixed into the course. The course is a good challenge and allows your legs to adjust throughout the race. A water stop was present at the midway point and one of the best sights on the course was an older style, neighborhood fire station that is now home to the Norton Fire Department Alarm Division.

I finished this year’s race with a time of 39:47, good for 7:57/miles.

Special thanks to Race Director Rich Allain and the FOP Lodge #28 for allowing me to partner with them as an advertiser and for listing The Running Griffin’s website on the back of the race shirts! With a good course, nice shirts, a full breakfast and with proceeds supporting a great cause, be sure to sign up for next year’s MA FOP Lodge #28 Frozen Five Miler when registration opens up!