Last year prior to running the Fargo Half-Marathon I took a month off of any alcohol. I don’t drink a ton, but I am a big fan of good, local craft beer and enjoy having a beer or two a week with dinner or when with friends. As I am training for a 26.2 mile run in May (have been training for the Providence Marathon which has been canceled due to coronavirus) taking another respite from any alcohol for the month of April sounds like a good plan!

Thanks to the good folks at Athletic Brewing Company runners and athletes of all kinds can now enjoy a great non-alcoholic beer that is high on taste and free from any alcohol. I honestly was a bit skeptical going in but I am a true believer after having now had Athletic Brewing’s great offerings!

I have had two of Athletic’s offerings, their Run Wild IPA and the Upside Dawn Golden Ale. The Run Wild IPA has a nice, fresh IPA flavor to it more in line with a traditional IPA than one of the juicier NEIPA style beers you’ll find. The Upside Dawn Golden Ale is crisp and smooth and both beers packed a lot of true flavor into the taste and provided a refreshing and smooth non-alcoholic alternative to regular beer.

Athletic also brews the Free Way Double Hop IPA and the All Out Stout. Look forward to trying these ones soon!

Athletic Brewing is brewed in Connecticut and has a great story about how the brewery came to fruition. Click here to read more about Athletic Brewing Company.

Because Athletic Brewing offers non-alcoholic beer, they can ship their offering fresh to your doorstep. If you are interested in ordering Athletic Brewing, please click here to shop their offerings and have it shipped to you today!

For more information about Athletic Brewing Company, please click here to visit their website. Give them a “Like” on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

I’ve heard the saying “Control the Controllables” before but when I heard it this week it sunk in even more. With the COVID-19 pandemic tossing the world upside down, there is so much anxiety, confusion, anger and unknown that focusing on “controlling the controllables” seems like really good advice to listen to.

Earlier this week, I received notice that the Providence Marathon is being cancelled. Though it remains unclear at this time if the race is going to be rescheduled, it is clear that toeing the starting line for a marathon in May is not happening.

What made this news even tougher to take was the fact that my brother was going to run the half-marathon that day and I was raising funds for The Multiple System Atrophy Coalition in honor of my dad who is currently battling the disease. I’ve spent several weeks training and have felt strong out on long runs since I kicked off the training. But, given the current health pandemic facing our nation, cancelling the race only makes sense. To be honest, I wouldn’t feel comfortable tackling a marathon with a group of runners by my side in May and the race organizers, like so many who have had to make a tough decision, made the right decision.

Instead of being upset or getting angry about the marathon being cancelled, I’m going to control the controllables. This morning I still made my way out for my 18 mile training run and felt strong out on the roads. Fresh air has an extra special effect these days and pounding the pavement is a great way to put all the worries of COVID-19 behind you.

I’ve made it this far on my training plan and I am not backing down. When the morning that the Providence Marathon was supposed to take place arrives, I am going to still run 26.2 miles that day and tackle a marathon on my own. It won’t be on the course and it won’t be an official marathon, but both in support of the fundraising I have done for The MSA Coalition and as a final nod to my training plan I am running a marathon that day one way or another! And if they do in fact reschedule the marathon for later this year, well, then I am running two marathons this year!

I hope all of my running friends and their families are healthy and well and know that together we will all get through this current craziness. Keep getting out on the roads or trails, take in that fresh air and remember to control the controllables!

This weekend’s Mick Morgan’s Annual 5k Road Race had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This 5K race kicks off at local Irish pub Mick Morgan’s Sharon and raises funds for HESSCO Elder Services.

Health & Social Services Consortium, Inc. (HESSCO) provides care, support and solutions for adults 60 and older, persons living with a disability and their caregivers to maintain safe, independent living at home in the community.

To learn more about HESSCO and to find out ways to support their efforts, please visit their website by clicking here.

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing our world to be turned upside down. As runners, we have seen races small and large be either postponed or cancelled outright. Tough decisions need to be made by Race Directors and it’s up to us to support those tough decisions and stand with those Race Directors making a decision no one envies having to make.

So many races today are now significant fundraising endeavors for non-profit organizations. For races that are being cancelled, unfortunately non-profit organizations will be losing out on significant funds aimed at supporting their endeavors and noble causes. For some small non-profits, a road race is a great way to infuse a significant amount of funding into an organization and with races being cancelled clearly funding for non-profits is going to suffer.

If you know of a road race that was being held in support of  non-profit organization that has been cancelled, please let me know. I would like to share information about that non-profit to help gain exposure for the work they are doing and potentially have readers donate to an organization they might see they support.

Please email me (therunninggriffin@gmail.com) details and I will post as many organizations and races as possible to help spread awareness.

Hope everyone remains healthy and safe during these crazy times.