The cold air had vanished a bit on Sunday and it was a great morning for the 21st Annual Doyle’s Emerald Necklace 5 Mile Road Race in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston, Massachusetts!

Doyle’s is pretty much one of the most iconic Boston bars you’ll find with a deep, Irish and political history in the city and is home to one of the premier road races you will find in the area. The five mile course is in support of local charities inclusive of the Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums who make an appearance as runners head out into the course and then play right near the finish line.

The course heads out into the Emerald Necklace of Jamaica Plain which is a rolling course of streets that surround a public park and makes for a great course. The hills are somewhat pronounced throughout the race and make for a moderately challenging course. A water stop is featured twice on the out-and-back route, with one appropriately staffed by Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley.

The race was a Grand Prix event for the Thirsty Irish Runners club and a see of the TIR green was present everywhere you looked!

I finished Doyle’s with a time of 42:32, good for 8:30/miles. After running 16 miles the previous day, I felt great out there running and was quite pleased with my finishing time. If you have never done Doyle’s, be sure to flag this race as a must do next year!