This morning it was off to the Cape Cod town of Bourne, Massachusetts for the Weary Traveler Road Race. This iconic January run is a great race usually followed by merriment inside the Weary Traveler lodge complete with chowder, clam fritters and cold pints but the most recent COVID surge certainly slimmed down the race field and post-run I made may way back to the car to head on back home upon finishing.

Kudos to the organizers of the race, the Cape Cod Road Runners, for taking runner safety seriously and moving registration outdoors complete with masks being worn while at the table. At the starting line many runners ran masks or gaiters while heading out on the course and all in all the race went off without a hitch despite the COVID world around us.

The race time temperatures were certainly warmer than they have been in some years past with temperatures in the mid 40’s upon toeing the starting line. There was an interesting wind to contend with throughout the run which at times felt to be at your back, at other times was right in your face and other times seemed to be just swirling around you.

The Weary Traveler Road Race takes runners past the Monument Beach section of Bourne and is a tricky, hilly 4.9 mile course. The first mile doesn’t seem as downhill as it is but later in the race the uphills can certainly be felt and noticed much more.

Felt good running on the course and tackled the hills pretty well. I finished the 2022 Weary Traveler Road Race with a finishing time of 41:26, good for 8:23/miles. Having run this race a number of times over the years, not my best finish at the Weary Traveler Road Race but not too bad of a result!

It was a perfect afternoon for running on New Year’s Eve in Norwood, Massachusetts and a 2 PM race start was a great way to close out 2021 with the running of the First Night 5K. The race had a very friendly $10 registration fee (more races should take note of this) and the race featured a marked course, professional timing, a long-sleeve tee-shirt and even a post-race pint from Castle Island Brewing!

The race kicked off a New Year’s Eve festival right in downtown Norwood and unseasonably warmer temperatures made for a really nice run. The course of the race was a more-than-challenging 5K with some good climbing mixed into the course for a decent chunk of the race. Though the first mile must have been more downhill than it seemed, the second two miles definitely had a more uphill presence that could be felt. Volunteers staffed a water stop about halfway through the race and Norwood Police did a great job patrolling the course along the way.

My first mile was a strong start to the run clocking in around the 7:25/mile pace. The next two miles I could definitely feel myself dialing it back a bit on the hills and it wasn’t my strongest run but all together not a bad final time of 25:50, good for 8:20/miles on the hilly course.

Definitely would head back to do this race again in future years! Kudos to Winged Foot Running for putting on an excellent run!

The MA Coalition for the Homeless is hosting the 2022 Pajama Run on March 12, 2022. This will be a virtual event for the second year, though they have hopes to hold an in-person event when the timing is right. The Pajama Run is a fun, family-friendly event that generates much needed funds for their program, A Bed for Every Child, which provides beds to children all across MA living in poverty and who otherwise would be sleeping on floors or sofas.

As a small non-profit, and only their second year holding this event, the MA Coalition for the Homeless is hoping to have a great contingent of runners and walkers join for the virtual run and is offering all friends of The Running Griffin a $5 discount off registration valid starting 1/1 and ending on 2/1. When registering, please use the code bedsforkids22 to save $5 off your registration fee.

To register for the race, please click here: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E329855&id=61

Who’s interested in doing a dry January? Athletic Brewing Company has some of the greatest tasting non-alcoholic craft beer made with high quality, all-natural ingredients.
Click here to receive a 6-pack courtesy of The Running Griffin! Hope you enjoy!

After a bout of COVID, quarantine and recovery it was great to head back to the starting line of a road race and what better way to kick off the Christmas season than the 10th Annual Winter Lights 5K! This race took place Friday night and takes runners through the heart of America’s Hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

The race is part of a Christmas packed evening complete with a small parade with Santa making his way to a Christmas tree lighting followed by the nighttime 5K race. Runners and walkers of all speeds don lights, reindeer ears, Santa hats and more as they race on the 5K loop course that runs past sites like the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock and all the downtown businesses that make Plymouth an awesome location. There was a certain energy along the race course on Friday night (and it wasn’t just the energy powering the Christmas lights) but with 1500 runners running through downtown and with people out cheering, heading in and out of restaurants and stores clapping and a nice, healthy finish line contingent present the race energy was great.

I felt good out on the race course for my first post-recovery run and throughout the course felt strong and was able to pace myself well. The race is a crowded field and I was in the second corral of runners to head out and was able to make up both time and pick off other runners as I made my way through the route; always a good mental boost!

I finished up the 10th Annual Winter Lights 5K with a time of 26:09 good for 8:25/miles. A good result on a nice night for running.

Post-run we checked out the outdoor and heated area at Second Wind Brewing for a pint before making our way home. Highly recommend checking out this awesome local brewery pumping out some great brews right around the corner from the finish line!