St. Patrick’s Day weekend calls for the annual pilgrimage back to the Western Massachusetts city of Holyoke which was originally known as Ireland Parish. With a deeply rooted Irish history, Holyoke is home to one of the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parades and a 10K road race that is not for the faint of heart. A hilly course keeps runners honest the day before the parade and allows runners to enjoy some pre-fried dough caloric burn!

The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race brings close to 7,000 runners to the starting line and takes runners throughout the streets of the city once known for the vibrant paper mills that gave Holyoke the nickname The Paper City. The race starts with The Mummers playing in downtown Holyoke and once runners cross the finish line a plethora of local watering holes greet runners and spectators alike for a cold beer to help re-hydrate.

This year, there was no snow to contend with on the race course and the weather on race day was cold and windy but certainly not completely unbearable. Some rather strong winds definitely were present while running and added a little complexity into an already complex race course. But a little wind and cold temperatures were not going to keep the runners from the starting line and it certainly did not keep the fans away from the race course! This year, the race seemed to be even more crowded at various points along the race course and water stops were plentiful, Irish music filled the air, bagpipes were being played, Jell-o shots were being shared and an all-around good time was being had. The experience of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race is one that simply should be experienced by each and every runner across the New England region and beyond!

This year was not my best and not my worst running of the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day 10K and I finished the race with a time of 56:23, good for 9:04/miles. I ran the race pretty well and tackled the hilly and windy course with a consistent pace and felt good crossing the finish line and then tackled a solid four miles the next morning, as well.

There is something special about the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Road Race and you should certainly check it out next year if you have never run this race! Be sure to “Like” the race on Facebook, as well.

“Boston Marathon History by the Mile” author Paul Clerici will be speaking about his book, the Boston Marathon, the course, its history, etc., at several sites in the Greater Boston area.

• Sharon Public Library, 11 North Main St., Route 27 (Tue., March 13th, 7 p.m.)
• Norfolk Public Library, 139 Main St. (Thu., April 5th, 7 p.m.)
• Along the course itself at the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St., Route 135, Natick (Mon., April 9th, 7 p.m.).

The local author, who has also run the Boston Marathon 23 times, discusses all the great stories about the very beginning in Ashland; various start lines in Hopkinton; the year in which a train cut through the race in Framingham; the Scream Tunnel of women at Wellesley College; the Johnny Kelley statue in Newton; the different finish lines in Boston; and much more.

The multi-media presentation will also feature a Q&A; and books will be available to purchase and be signed.

Registration is now open for the 19th Annual Westford Road Race which will be held in the afternoon of Sunday, May 6th. The Westford Road Race features something for everyone with a Family Run taking place at 2PM followed by a 5K at 2:20 and the 10K start at 2:25.

Sponsored by Sullivan and Cogliano, Waste Management and The Groton Inn, the Westford Road Race benefits the Westford Charitable Foundation which supports several charitable endeavors. To see some of the organizations and individuals that have benefited from the Westford Charitable Foundation, please click here.

All races start at the Abbot School on Depot Street in Westford, Massachusetts and feature professional timing and prizes for the top finishers. Tee-shirts are guaranteed to the first 600 runners who pre-register for the race. The race course is described as being the perfect mixture of challenging and serene as runners make their way through the idyllic, New England town of Westford and is a USATF certified 5K and 10K course. Additional race features include a raffle and post-race fun!

To register for the 19th Annual Westford Road Race please click here.

Looking for an early spring half-marathon this year? Well, you’re in luck! Join me at the Duxbury Half-Marathon which will be held in Duxbury, Massachusetts on March 31st. Registration is now open for the 6th Annual Duxbury Half Marathon so don’t delay and sign up today!

The Duxbury Half Marathon was founded in 2012 to support the Alzheimer Social Day Program at the Duxbury Senior Center, which provides an engaging and meaningful environment for those living with Alzheimer’s and forms of dementia. It also provides a much needed respite for the caregivers. This program has become a valued resource in the local Duxbury community.

The half marathon is a USATF certified race course and is perfect timing for Boston Marathon training. The race will take you through beautiful scenic backroads with views of Duxbury Bay and the historic village. The race starts and finishes at Duxbury Senior Center and after the race runners will feast on celebratory oysters at the finish line.

Register before March 23 and take advantage of discounted pricing that increases $10 after that date.

To register for the Duxbury Half Marathon, please click here.  You can also “like” the race on Facebook by clicking here and can follow the race on Twitter here.

Look forward to seeing you at the starting line!