The timing couldn’t have been better to run a 5K in support of a food pantry given the current state of affairs in our nation. The Randolph Pack the Pantry 5K took place last weekend in Randolph, Massachusetts and a nice crowd of runners toed the starting line to raise funds for the local food pantry. In addition to the dollars raised from the registration fees, a huge collection of non-perishable food goods were dropped at the starting line by race participants to then be delivered to the food pantry in Randolph.

I have run this race years ago and though the course was the same as it was in the past it was in the reverse order. The 5K route is an interestingly challenging course through residential roads with some pretty tricky hills mixed in for just about the whole race. The race course was expertly marked at each turn with volunteers and local police helping shepherd runners along the way at the busier intersections.

I love that my running club the Thirsty Irish Runners chose this race as our November Grand Prix race and it was great to see so many familiar faces at the race. Though we couldn’t have know the even more dire need that food pantries would have when selecting this race as our Grand Prix race the fact that our club gets out there each year to support some truly noble causes makes me proud to be a member. If you’re looking for a club to join, be sure to check us out!

Some days you have it while you’re running and other days you don’t. My calves simply couldn’t loosen up on the route and I felt tight just about the entire way. Though I generally love climbing hills while out on a run, the tightness that I felt out on the course was tough. Not exactly my worst running ever but certainly not my best and I finished up the race with a time of 29:22, good for 9:28/miles.

Big shoutout to Mrs. Running Griffin who cruised into the finish line and ended up second in her age division for the race!

Next weekend it’ll be off to Randolph, Massachusetts to run the Randolph Pack the Pantry 5K. With the current state of affairs in the world coupled with us heading into winter here in New England, the need to support food banks is at an all-time high and I hope you will consider joining me at this race.

The race starts and finishes at the Randolph Intergenerational Community Center (RICC) and funds from the race benefit the local food bank. Runners are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the race to provide extra support for the food pantry in Randolph.

I have run this race before and the course is a nice, moderately challenging 5K course and running for a great cause on a fall weekend sounds like the perfect way to spend a bit of time next weekend.

Please consider joining me at the starting line and click here to register for the race.

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Why Running Clothes Need Special Care

Performance fabrics — like those used in moisture-wicking shirts, shorts, and leggings — are designed to pull sweat away from your skin. But that same feature can trap odor-causing bacteria deep in the fibers. Regular detergents sometimes mask the smell instead of removing it. Over time, that means your gear can start smelling less like “fresh air and endorphins” and more like “gym bag gone wrong.”

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3. Air dry whenever possible — heat can damage elasticity and hold on to odors.
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Well, it’s October and here in New England apparently summer just doesn’t want to quit. Yesterday it was off to Dedham, Massachusetts for the Dedham Education Foundation (DEF) Dash 5K and a blast of warmth graced the area with race time temps well in the 80s and the sun absolutely beating down on the course.

Being in New England, we all know that the weather around here can be quite fickle and the warmth of Sunday (and the entire weekend for that matter) was a welcome surprise because we all know what comes next. That said, it was a touch toasty for race time but still an absolutely perfect day for a run.

The DEF Dash 5K starts and finishes at a local park and raises funds for the Dedham Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises private funds to support, enhance and enrich public education in Dedham.

The race started off on a nice uphill climb and then took runners through some gorgeous neighborhoods in Dedham. Residential streets, neighbors out cheering for runners, a couple nice residential rolling hills mixed in for good measure. When you think about what you are looking for in a race, the DEF Dash 5K sort of checks all the boxes. After the race, there was a nice offering of post-race treats ranging from free beer from Jack’s Abby Brewing to smoothies from Tropical Smoothie Cafe and even grilled cheese samples from Melty. I’ll tell you what, those smoothies definitely were a magic post-race elixir especially given the heat!

I felt strong out there running despite the heat and ran a pretty good race. Thank to one of my Thirsty Irish Runners teammates for pushing me a bit on one of the residential rolling hills; always nice to have some support out there. I finished the race with a time of 25:59, good for 8:22/miles. Some of my better running of late; we’ll take it!