Saturday it was up to the Hough’s Neck section of Quincy, Massachusetts for the Bill Dunn, Jr. Memorial Road Race. Having never been to the Hough’s Neck section of Quincy, didn’t quite know what to expect from the race however with race time temperatures hovering around 90 degrees all runners knew that the five miles ahead were sure to be challenging.

Thankfully the race kicked off at 9AM as the temperatures only raised higher as the day grew on. At the starting line, most runners noted that it would not be a PR kind of race and instead would be one aimed at finishing safely. Runners who have also tackled the course hinted at the fact that the course would have a good amount of hills mixed into the race.

As I made my way onto the roads, the course took a really nice route throughout the Hough’s Neck section of Quincy. There were some amazing views of the ocean, some great spots that showed the Boston skyline in the distance, beachfront homes worthy of a glance as you ran by and a nice outpouring of neighborhood support along the entire 5 miles of the race. Those neighbors packed the course with hoses, sprinklers and water stops all along the route which was perfect given the hot conditions and I definitely took more water than normal and hit as many sprinklers and hoses as I possibly could. Even the smallest splash of water was helpful to cut the heat and hydration was certainly key.

Those runners who warned about the hills at the starting line were spot on as the race had some nice hills mixed throughout the entire route. The most significant hill was around the 3.5 mile mark where runners tackled a hill that basically went straight up for about a quarter mile. At the top of the hill, runners were greeted with a view of the ocean and a quick downhill toward the Nut Island Park. The final mile also included a couple good uphills, though much smaller, added in for good measure including three fast up and down hill sprints heading into the finish line.

As the race was the June Grand Prix for the Thirsty Irish Runners there was a nice contingent of green shirts along the course that helped push me along with a friendly hello and encouraging push at the right times. On a hot and hilly course, nothing better than some friends helping you along.

I finished the Bill Dunn, Jr. Memorial Road Race with a time of 44:04, good for a pace of 8:49/miles. Certainly not my best pace lately but given the conditions I was not expecting top performance and was happy to finish the race with a respectable time. The runner side of my brain (and as a runner you know what I mean) sort of had a love/hate relationship with the race and the heat and hills sort of added to the charm of the race. Would definitely look to run this race again at some point!

Bill Dunn Jr. lost his life while boating with friends on July 1, 2006. A proud member of Houghs Neck, he was truly loved by his family and friends and anyone who came in contact with him. His spirit for life and love of adventure is missed by all and this race helps keep his memory alive. A 1996 graduate of Quincy High School, Bill went on to join the Plumbers Union, Local 12. A standout for both the Houghs Neck Manets and Quincy High Football, Bill was inducted into the QHS/NQHS Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

All proceeds from the road race benefit the Bill Dunn Jr. Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship fund is used to enrich those who are in need. Some past recipients of the scholarship include Broad Meadows Middle School, Quincy High Football Players, Quincy High Students, The Houghs Neck Manets, Holy Trinity Parish, Children’s Hospital and Atherton Hough Teachers.

Registration is now open for Sonia’s Run 5K which will be held on September 22nd in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. I hope you consider joining me at this race and be sure to register today!

Since 1997, Theophany School has offered excellence in early childhood education for the Greater Boston area, providing challenging academics through a creative, family focused approach. With small class sizes, engaging curriculum, and a loving Christian environment, Theophany School strives to cultivate the minds and hearts of students to encourage a love of learning, service, and respect for the other. Sonia Daly Belcher, one of the main founders of the school, unexpectedly passed away in 2008 at age 32 from an unknown heart condition and this race is held in her memory.

Sonia’s Run is a USATF sanctioned 5K race. The course begins and ends at Sonia’s home parish church, St. George Orthodox Church of West Roxbury. This family-friendly day includes a kids’ fun run, bouncy house, face-painting, clown show, food, as well as medals and cash prizes for top three male and female finishers overall. Parking is available in the church lot as well as nearby streets.

Awards will be awarded by age category and performance T-shirts are guaranteed for the first 100 registered entrants. There is water on race course and complimentary post-race food.

To register for Sonia’s Run 5K, please click here to register today. Please be sure to also “Like” the race on Facebook here. I look forward to running with you in West Roxbury on September 22nd!

Though usually when I am at Edgewood Pool & Tennis Club I am on the tennis courts, yesterday morning Edgewood played host to the 2nd Annual Edgewood 5K so it was time to lace up the running sneakers and leave the grounds of Edgewood for the streets of Raynham, Massachusetts and tackle the 5K course around the club.

This year, proceeds from the run were supporting a local family impacted by the devastating effects of cancer so it was nice to see the race more than double in size year-over-year as the club sought to raise a nice amount of money to donate.

The course for the Edgewood 5K starts and finishes in the parking lot of the pool and tennis club and takes runners out onto the roads. The first mile has a slow, gradual incline to it before runners make their way into a small neighborhood off the main road. Here, a very sharp incline is present but thankfully a water stop greeted runners at the top of the hill before runners made their way back out onto the main roads. A couple of left turns, the course is easy to follow and is a really nice residential run through Raynham.

Three additions to the race this year (water stop, miles marked in chalk on the road and the addition of the small neighborhood stretch to replace needing to do a lap through the parking lot at the end) all were really nice additions to the run and worked quite well! A nice perk of the race is that all runners were eligible to bring their families back to Edgewood Pool & Tennis Club for the remainder of the day to enjoy the amenities of the location.

The Edgewood 5K has certainly grown nicely over the past year and continued progress will help the race entrants continue to climb. I finished this year’s Edgewood 5K in sixth place overall with a time of 23:18, good for 7:30/miles. A truly nice, local run and one I look forward to again next year!

Registration is now open for the Franconia Notch Half-Marathon which is being held on October 20th in Lincoln, New Hampshire. For runners looking to complete a fall half-marathon, this course looks absolutely perfect and should prove to be a nice run.

The race is a first annual run and features an out-and-back half marathon course on the beautiful Franconia Notch recreational bike path starting at Cannon Mountain. The half-marathon route is a USATF certified 13.1 mile race.

This beautiful run takes place in one of the most scenic locations in New England, passing by numerous iconic landmarks in the Franconia Notch State Park. Along the way, runners pass by Echo Lake, Cannon Mountain, The Old Man viewing site, Profile Lake, Boise Rock, The Basin and The Flume all the while winding along the Pemigewasset River. This run not only provides runners with one of the most beautiful routes around but also the protection from cars and traffic.

Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 overall finishers and in each age category. All runners will receive a finisher medal and a t-shirt.

To register for the race, please click here. You’ll also want to be sure to check out the official Facebook event page by clicking here.

Imagine. It’s a beautiful summer night and you find yourself right by the ocean running a 5K road race through closed grounds of an oceanfront farm. As you cross the finish line, there is live music and cold beer to greet you. No need to imagine it, you could have lived it at last night’s Summer Nights 5K.

Sponsored by Narragansett Beer, the Summer Nights 5K took place in Bristol, Rhode Island on the gorgeous grounds of Mt. Hope Farm. Mt. Hope Farm is on the National Register of historic places and has amazing grounds overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and Newport sound.

The race started at 7:30 PM and kicked off right on time. Immediately following the playing of the national anthem, runners made their ways down an incline and toward a pond before making a right hand turn onto a paved path through the woods. Runners stayed on this path before making a turn onto a very smooth trail section of the race before returning back to paved roads the rest of the way.

Just past the first mile marker there was the first of two water stops and because the summer air had a touch of humidity and heat to it, the water was certainly needed for the run. The course had some nice rolling hills mixed into the route and the race was an out and back course aside from the first loop into the trail section of the race. The final quarter mile of the run was the real challenge of the race with a nice, gradual uphill finish to the race. Runners could hear the band playing as we made our way up the hill which was a great motivation to keep the legs kicking.

After finishing the race, runners were treated to two cans from Narragansett Beer. I opted for the Fresh Catch which was a nice, refreshing blonde ale dry hopped with citra hops. A nice way to end a race while listening to the live music outside of an old barn on such historic grounds. Not a bad way to spend a Thursday night!

I ran 3.1 miles earlier in the day as I had the day off from work and was able to finish the Summer Nights 5K with a time of exactly 24:00, good for 7:43/miles. A stellar run on an even better course and a race you certainly will want to check out in the second annual race next year!