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Gotta love a race where the windshield time to get to the race is less than five minutes!

This morning the Crush Cancer 5K took place in Bridgewater, Massachusetts and though earlier forecasts called for a deluge all day today for the 9AM race time a few sprinkles here and there were all we had to contend with relative to rain but the humidity and headwind at points made for a nice challenge. The race starts and finishes at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School and is organized by Northeast Race Management who in the past few years of organizing the run has raised more than $30,000 for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In addition to the 5K run, there is also a 3K walk and combined the race brought more than 500 runners and walkers to the starting line to raise money for a great cause!

The course took a quick stretch on the B-R High School grounds before runners made their way right onto North Street. There, runners ran for about a mile and a quarter before turning right onto Aldrich Street and then right onto Center Street before turning back into the high school grounds for the final stretch. At about the halfway point a water station was present and overall the course rolled ever so gently but was predominantly flat throughout the race.

The race started perfectly on time and I felt strong on the course, particularly in the first half of the race. A nice headwind in the second half of the race made for some extra exertion to be required but overall a really good morning for running. After finishing up the race knowing there was more rain and Easter Brunch on the way tomorrow morning, I opted to log an additional two miles, as well.

I finished this morning’s Crush Cancer 5K with a time of 24:04, good for 7:46/miles.

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Foxboro Cares 5K. This race will be held on Saturday, June 1st in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The Foxborough Cares 5K is a collaboration of efforts from community volunteers who wanted to continue a long-standing, beloved tradition of gathering to run for a cause on the first Saturday of June each year. The proceeds of this 5k will benefit 3 local non-profits:

• The Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center at the Orpheum run by a non-profit organization whose mission is to keep our theater vibrant for the community.
• ConfiKids, a non-profit that builds kids confidence by providing financial support for recreational, enrichment, sports and arts programs to families with financial challenges.
• The Foxborough Police Relief Association who provides scholarships and relief funds to community residents and programs.

The first 200 registered runners will receive a commemorative t-shirt so don’t delay and register for this great community-focused road race today!

To register for the 2nd Annual Foxborough Cares 5K please click here. Be sure to also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.

A rainy spring morning greeted locals early yesterday morning before the rain gave way to an absolutely perfect afternoon. It was a quick shot over to nearby Raynham, Massachusetts for the Raynham Knights of Columbus 5 Miler where the spring rain and a touch of humidity in the air made for a good springtime run!

For those familiar with the Colonial Road Runners Monday night fun runs, this race took runners on a reverse course featuring sections of that run and then an added couple of additional neighborhoods, as well. The course itself had a somewhat gradual uphill grade to it and the King Phillip Road hill was in the final mile of the race which made for a very solid uphill run as you hit the mile four marker which then gave way to a slightly downhill finish in the last mile.

Felt decent on the course but definitely could have used a tad thinner of a rain coat as by the time I was around 3.5 miles in the heat could certainly be felt. It was only the high 50’s but the humidity and rain added a different element to the run I battled through. Overall, pleased with my time at the race finishing with a gun time finish of 41:11, good for 8:14/miles.

Post-race, runners are welcome to stick around for a full pancake breakfast. I picked up a banana, water and some cranberry juice and then made my way to a coffee shop for post-run coffee!

This year’s West Island 5K will be held on Sunday, April 28th at 11:00 AM and this is one race you don’t want to miss out on! The West Island 5K is a great, fast 5K that has an amazing course and a great local feel to it and the organizers do an amazing job putting on a really nice run year in and year out.

The race takes place in the West Island section of the coastal town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts and the course is USA Track and Field Certified featuring a mostly flat and fast loop throughout scenic West Island. Runners take off on a fast and downhill start and a sharp uphill incline into the finish line adds a really nice challenge into the race.  Each mile will be marked and a water station will be fully stocked at the 1.5-mile point. Throughout the course, local residents line the route particularly at the finish line cheering runners into the finish.

In addition to running a really nice course, runners can feel good about supporting a great cause when registering for the race as all proceeds go to the Fairhaven High School Cross Country program and to the non-profit, Strive and Achieve.

I have run the West Island 5K a couple times and highly recommend the race. For a previous race recap, click here.

Be sure to give a “Like” to the West Island 5K on Facebook by clicking here to keep up to date with race day details and additional information.

To register for the West Island 5K, please click here.