Last night was the Thirsty Irish Runner’s Annual Banquet therefore we had to behave ourselves as we knew this morning it was off to Sharon, Massachusetts for the Dreamfar 10k. The weather last evening was prime January conditions with a healthy coating of snow blanketing the region and several roads and streets still with a good sheen of ice on them this morning.

Commuting up to Sharon was no problem at all as the main highways were plowed and salted. We arrived at Sharon High School and made our way to the registration table and picked up our numbers. The Dreamfar 10k supports the Dreamfar High School Marathon program which is a program that teaches high school students the benefits of goal setting and hard work as a means to achieve success in high school and beyond. The same hard work and goal setting techniques apply to marathon training. As the students mileage increases so does their confidence and self-esteem; they do better in school and their overall relationships improve. It was great to see so many young runners make their way to the race and tackle the road race bright and early on a Sunday morning.

The course was a scenic and idyllic stretch through Sharon and around Lake Massapoag. The first two miles of the race seemed to be a healthy amount of very gradual climbing mixed into the run and the road conditions on the main road were wet and slushy and well supported by volunteers and members of the Sharon Police Department. With a 9AM start time, the main roads were quite clear of traffic and the snow glistening alongside the course made for some really nice running conditions. The race time temperature climbed up to about 35 therefore the little bit of warmth allowed for snow to melt from the trees and for runners to warm up while out on the course. Due to icy conditions on one of the stretches of the race, race directors wisely chose to cut out this portion of the run which shaved a mile off of the 10k course leaving the run at a 5.2 mile road race. Mother Nature always can impact a race but the race directors did a great job here ensuring runners’ safety while out on the wintry course this morning.

I finished the 5.2 miles of running with a time of 42:11 or 8:07/miles. Given the conditions, not a bad morning of running and the Dreamfar 10k is definitely a race I look forward to completing in the future, as well.

Registration is now open for the Race the Lake Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Race The Lake marathon and half marathon will take racers around beautiful Otsego lake in Cooperstown NY. They will run past such landmarks as the Otesaga Hotel, The Farmers Museum, The Fenimore Art Museum and The Baseball Hall Of Fame. The lake will always be on your right with awesome views of the surrounding area. This challenging course uses small county roads that are all paved and also travels through a few small townships.

Both the full and the half marathons are certified by the USATF. The full marathon can be used as a Boston qualifier. The course is also completely staffed with many local volunteers, numerous water and aid stations and also bicycle patrols ensure a safe and directed run. Included in the registration fee is a BBQ lunch, and normal finish line finger food. Tech shirts for the first 150 registered and then as supply allows. Unique awards to the overall male/female for each race and then top two in each age category.

The full Marathon starts at 8:00am in front of The Sports Center and finishes on the grounds. Day of registration starts at 6:30am and will go until 7:30. Bag pick up will be available on Friday June 12th from 8:00am to 7:30pm at The Clark Sports Center.

The half Marathon starts at 9:30am from The Abner Double Day campground.

Buses will leave The Clark Sports Center after the marathon start to transport racers to the campground. Limited parking is available at the half start and also overnight accommodation specials are available as well. After the finish vans will transport racers back to the camp ground.

Race day registration must be done at the sports center from 6:30 to 7:30. Bag pick up will be available Friday June 12th from 8:00am until 7:30 pm. and on race day from 7:30am until 8:30am at The Clark Sports Center.

Registration can be done on www.itsyourrace.com and search for Race The Lake http://RaceTheLake.itsyourrace.com/ , paper registration at The Clark Sports Center, and at the day of the event. Down load the free app from the web page for info, maps, and finishes times directly to your phone. The Marathon registration fee is $60.00 until June 8th at that time it will increase to $70.00 The half Marathon registration fee is $50.00 until June 8th at that time it increases to $60.00

Be sure to check out our friends over at Skortaholics! Skortaholics is a great website chronicling nine women who enjoy running, fitness, fashion and fun. You can visit their website by clicking here and should “Like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Registration is now open for the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Half-Marathon. The 3rd annual running of the PA Grand Canyon will be on Saturday July 25, 2015 and Sunday, July 26, 2015 in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, just outside Wellsboro, PA. There will be two half-marathons run on back-to-back days so please consider signing up for both!

The course takes you along the west rim of the canyon and features some of the most breathtaking views you can imagine.  Half Marathon course has been wheel measured for accuracy and every mile will be marked.  See Course Info page for details on both courses.

Enjoy the hospitality of the beautiful town of Wellsboro, with gas lights lining the streets, historic buildings, and a warm nostalgic atmosphere.  But make no mistake, the races feature all the amenities of a big city event – chip timing, tech shirts, custom finisher’s medal, expo, pasta dinner, goodie bag, on-course support, photographers, music, food, and so much more.  Proceeds are going to the Greenway Project, funding the completion of the rail trail system in Wellsboro.

To register for this race, please click here. Be sure to also check out the race on Facebook by clicking here.

(Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon race directors who donated to the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation in exchange for this race posting. If you are a race director, please email therunninggriffin@gmail.com for details on how you can have your race listed.)

Registration is now open for the Marathon Park Prep Half-Marathon. Marathon Park Prep, former Half of Quincy, is 13.1-mile half-marathon in Ashland, MA and will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015 and is a tough test for runners training for the Boston Marathon.

The location for this race couldn’t be better. Nestled between New England’s two largest cities (25 miles from Boston and 17 miles from Worcester), Ashland and Marathon Park are both easily accessible by auto or public transportation.

Funds from this race go to support the Ashland Sports Authority which continues to rehabilitate Marathon Park, the cradle of worldwide running and the central focus commemorating the historic Boston Marathon.

You can register for the Marathon Park Prep Half-Marathon by clicking here. Please also be sure to “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.