Author: The Running Griffin

If you are hoping for miracle running tips about how to go out and win the next Boston Marathon, then this website is not for you. I am in no stretch of the imagination an elite runner but then again not many of us are or they wouldn’t be called “elite.” What I am is a runner who has realized the joy of running. Whether it be a 5k race in support of a local cause or a half-marathon or full-marathon with the finish line seeming at times to never be in sight, running allows each of us the ability to sort of leave behind the rest of the world and focus on simply getting to the finish line. We might not win a trophy and we might not make a career out of running but what we are guaranteed is a certain friendship among running friends, better health and the endorphin filled pride each time we cross a finish line. This website will allow me to highlight different races that I have done, perhaps some that I plan on doing and maybe other running stories that I hope to share with runners like myself.

5th Overall at the Huss Dog Jog 5 Miler Today!

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This morning it was down to Pembroke, Massachusetts for the Huss Dog Jog 5 Miler. This race is held in memory of Steven Hussey and raises money for the American Stroke Association and a scholarship fund.

The race started and finished at the Pembroke High School and part of the course was through a street on the grounds of the school aptly named Learning Lane. After a quick loop through the school’s grounds for the first mile of the race it was then off into the streets of Pembroke for the next 3 miles. Feeling pretty good through 2 miles, I was in third place and running pretty strong. Race time temperatures were warm but not too hot however the humidity certainly crept in along the course in a big way. Thankfully the race started at 8:45 AM or this could have been really tough.

The running through the residential streets of Pembroke was rather tough as there were a good amount of rolling uphills along the way. That said, one would have expected to see some downhill rollers but they seemed few and far between. A really nice climb around 3.5 required you to kick the legs into high gear and with head down looking at the pavement I made my way up the hill pretty strong. The mile 4 marker was back on the school grounds where runners were met by those taking part in the 2 mile walk. The last mile was a loop back down the same loop the race started off on before doubling back toward the finish line.

Kudos to the race organizers who put on a nice race with raffle prizes, post-race snacks and a DJ keeping the mood light. The Pembroke Police Department also did a really nice job supporting along the course with traffic detail ensuring the runners were able to run without much disruption while out on the road.

I finished the Huss Dog Jog 5 Miler with an overall finish of 5th place and a time of 39:29 which was good for 7:54/miles. Always gotta love a Top 5 finish!

2013 MAD Scramble Road Race

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Thursday evening after work it was race time! Heading from the office onto the train and to the car it was then off to Milton, Massachusetts for the 2013 MAD Scramble Road Race. This race is annually held on a weeknight at 6:30 PM and brings runners through a rather challenging 5.1 mile course throughout the town of Milton, Massachusetts. Milton is just outside the city limits of Boston and the race brings runners across Milton’s streets as well as some trails and paths mixed in for good measure.

Evening running can always be trick y as you need to watch your consumption during the day (aka, don’t drink my usual 5 cups of coffee) and the weather, particularly in the summer, could be subject to change. Race time temperatures were just shy of 70 degrees but the humidity was certainly noticeable.

The MAD Scramble supports the Detective Michael A Devin Memorial Fund. Proceeds from the race fund scholarships, support juvenile athletic programs, and provide assistance to families in need.

The race starts out quite flat as for the first mile runners quickly make their way off the pavement and head into a park completing a loop along packed dirt along a pond reminiscent of some cross-country trails from back in my high school running days. After completing the loop through this park it is back out onto the pavement for a while. The course is a deceivingly hilly terrain with just enough gradual risers to make your legs really take notice quite quickly. One of the larger hills is just outside of the Milton Libary where runners start heading toward the three mile marker.

Just about the entire fourth mile is within another trail section of Milton and although the summer rains have been hitting us pretty hard lately the terrain for the most part was not too badly impacted. As runners make their way out of this trail system, the final three-tenths of a mile or so is back out onto the pavement racing through a couple quick residential turns and heading into the finish line. As I crossed the finish line, the moisture from the humidity and sweat was pouring off of me and the water at the finish tasted just a bit better than normal. I finished the 2013 MAD Scramble with a time of 41:11, good for 8:05/miles.

Post-race the organizers put on a great cookout complete with burgers, hot dogs, fruit, cookies and more. A local radio station was handing out ice cream and a couple of vendors sampled their products. I also learned I won a raffle prize from Charles River Running which was one of the vendors at the race!

LaceLocker Joins The Running Griffin

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The Running Griffin would like to welcome our newest sponsor LaceLocker!

LaceLocker is a sports apparel specialty device which securely stores tied shoe laces. LaceLocker keeps laces clean and they don’t stick out like other devices. Laces do not flop around and you won’t have to change or alter them. It is durable, washable, light weight and nearly indestructible.

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Neely Spence Gracey, eight time NCAA Division II National Champion at Shippensburg University and Brooks-Hanson Elite Mid-Distance Runner, officially launched her professional website. Neely also endorses LaceLocker. “As soon as I started running with LaceLockers, I was committed. They are simply genius and a product with which I am proud to be involved.”

This weekend I took my LaceLocker out for a run. I have the silver with black writing LaceLocker and they look great on my running sneakers. The LaceLocker is light and does not feel clunky or cumbersome and did not interfere in any way with my running gait. The LaceLocker definitely kept my shoelaces in place during the run and when I was done with my run they were easy to remove from the sneaker and they held up just fine during the run. Any concerns I had before heading about how the LaceLocker were certainly resolved during the run and the LaceLocker will certainly be coming with me on future runs!

To purchase a LaceLocker online, you can click here to see the options available and to pick the one for you. You can also “Like” LaceLocker on Facebook by clicking here.

2013 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge

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ImageI must say, it is pretty cool to work for an employer who supports their employees and appreciates the need for a good run!

On Thursday evening, my company sent about 25 employees to the 2013 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge in Boston to compete against 12,000 other runners from companies across the Massachusetts area. The spirit of this race is a friendly competition amongst companies who sport the tech shirts of their respective employers and share in the camaraderie that is running. The event is a casual race for the most part with a healthy mix of runners and walkers heading out on the 3.5 mile course through the streets of downtown Boston.

What is nice to see with this race is that so many participants use the event as the first race they have ever done or as a way to kick into gear their fitness plans that they might have placed on the back burner for a while. With over 12,000 people hitting the 3.5 mile course, expecting a PR is not what this race is about; rather, it is about showing what the running community is all about by bringing together elites, casual runners, good runners, first timers and walkers in an event that is fun and for a good cause. Money raised from this year’s JP Morgan Boston Corporate Challenge went to support the Emerald Conservancy and City Spotlights Summer Leadership Program.

The race started at 7:15 PM and was an out-and-back loop starting at Boston Common. Teams gathered on the Common where ideas for next year’s run could be gathered by checking out other companies’ tee-shirts, tents, etc. As runners headed out of Boston Common they made their way to Commonwealth Avenue which is a two lane road separated by a pedestrian friendly park with sidewalks and memorials between the two roads. Commonwealth is as flat as a pancake which makes for easy running along the way. Runners made their way along Commonwealth Avenue and then looped around in Kenmore Square directly under the iconic Citgo sign and made their way back down Commonwealth Avenue in the opposite direction. As we made our way back into the finish line between Boston Common and the Public Garden the announcer would call out the names of the respective companies for the runners finishing which added a sense of pride crossing over the finish line.

I finished the 2013 JP Morgan Corporate Challenge with a time of 29:26 which was good for 8:25/miles. Though a slower than normal pace for me simply due to the congestion along the way, this race was about more than getting a PR for me. It was a good opportunity to meet some new co-workers and hang out with co-workers in a different setting than we are used to. Finally, when one of my co-workers after the race told me that he cannot wait to run again and his goal is to run a half-marathon in 2014, I smiled and told him to let me know anytime he wants to go on a training run.

Register Today for the HussDog Jog

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Join The Running Griffin at the HussDog Jog to be held on Saturday, July 13th at Pembroke High School in Pembroke, Massachusetts.

You can participate in either a 5 mile run or 2 mile walk/fun run!! Also available will be some music and fun! After the race there will be food, raffles and prizes for the winners. T-shirts will be given to the first 250 registered. This year a majority of the proceeds will benefit the American Stroke Association. A small portion of the proceeds will be put towards the creation of a nonprofit to help fund future scholarships and events to benefit stroke victims and families. Please help us keep Steven Hussey’s love for life and laughter alive, while helping to aid stroke victims and families who are in need. Donations are also welcome.

The 5 mile race will be officially chip timed. Please register for the race by clicking here and I look forward to seeing you at the HussDog Jog!