Last weekend my brother, father and made our way to South Bend, Indiana to catch the Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game. Growing up in an Irish Catholic household, so many Saturdays were spent at my grandparents house with a Notre Dame football game on the television and growing up in the movie Rudy generation sort of carved a special affinity for Notre Dame football and making our way to South Bend and watching a game there was nothing short of amazing.

The morning of the game, I noticed that there was a road race called the Game Day Chase that kicked off directly near campus and immediately in front of the apartment where we were staying. Though the morning brought some ferocious rains as I made my way over to register for the race, the rain actually broke just prior to the 5K kicking off and made for some nice running conditions.

The race took runners away from the Notre Dame campus and into some neighborhoods within South Bend. A great stretch of the race was on the East Bank Trail which hugged the St. Joseph River and made for some nice scenery along the race route. The course was overall hilly and a couple of rolling hills kept the legs honest during the run. There were ample volunteers and police officers patrolling the course and assisting runners at each turn.

As you made your way into the finish line, runners were greeted by the Notre Dame mascot and Notre Dame cheerleaders adding a sort of pre-football game feel to the race. A band played live music after the race while runners had post-race food and listened to the results being announced.

I finished the Game Day Chase 5K with a time of 24:05, good for 7:46/miles. The road race was a nice complement to an amazing trip and added to the overall charm of the entire long weekend trip.

Proceeds from the race benefitted the Kelly Cares Foundation. The Kelly Cares Foundation was established by Notre Dame head coach Brian and Paqui Kelly family to support organizations, initiatives and programs that closely align with the goals and values of the Kelly family. A strong emphasis has been made on three main pillars: Health, Education, and Community.

Looking for a great fall trail run? Look no further! The Discover the Woods 5K Trail Race and 1 Mile Fun Run is scheduled for Saturday, October 1st and will take place at Holly Hill Farm located at 236 Jerusalem Road in Cohasset, Massachusetts.

The start time for the race is at 10am for 5K and 11am for the  1 mile fun run. The race is timed by farm staff and volunteers.

All proceed from the race benefit the Holly Hill Farm Frank H. White Scholarship Fund.

For more information about the race and please visit www.hollyhillfarm.org  and to register online visit https://racewire.com/register.php?id=7003

As a runner, we all know that from time to time once finished a run we are left a little less than fresh. Okay, okay. You’re right. We all know we smell and feel absolutely gross when we finish a run but often times chalk it up to a feeling of despair and think to ourselves, “Is there really anything I can do to help get rid of this post-race funk?” Thankfully, runners no longer need to worry about having that caked on salty white grime on your forehead and don’t need to worry about smelling like a wet llama after a run thanks to Epic Wipes!

Epic Wipes are towel-sized wet wipes that are strong enough for a mud-caked mountain biker yet gentle enough for a s’more covered munchkin. This line by Epic Wipes basically sums up their functionality quite well. Having two kids who have been known to demolish a s’more, knowing the task of cleaning chocolate and marshmallow is something all too close to home.

Think of Epic Wipes as being a really large moist towelette that you get at a restaurant as it relates to functionality but not to size or quality. When unfolded, Epic Wipes measure in at 2 feet 6 inches long and are made with bamboo and other natural ingredients.  With a light scent of eucalyptus, these towels knock the post-race funk right off of you and do so in an environmentally friendly way.

I have used Epic Wipes after a 10K through asphalt streets to simply freshen up after a run and have used them after a trail race to take a healthy amount of dirt off my shins and calves and in each scenario have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of Epic Wipes. They hold up extremely well and have enough moisture in them to allow for a true cleaning to take place. I’ve used Epic Wipes on my face, as well, and the refreshing nature of the wipes leaves the skin feeling pre-race fresh and clean without causing any irritation.

Epic Wipes were created by Dr. Aeneas Janze, a physician and war veteran who saw a need for a practical, eco-friendly alternative to showers while stationed in Afghanistan. Let’s support a veteran and purchase some Epic Wipes today! You can purchase Epic Wipes online by clicking here.

For more information about Epic Wipes, please check out their website by clicking here. You can also “Like” Epic Wipes on Facebook and “Follow” them on Twitter.

Labor Day weekend is always a great weekend for running and this year was no exception. Yesterday, the turn of the calendar into September was certainly recognized and the summer heat broke away and gave way to some amazing fall running conditions.

The Run for Jess 5K is held in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts and is held in memory of Jessica Thurston who passed away from breast cancer at the young age of just 29. To honor her memory the Jessica C. Thurston Memorial Fund was established by her family and friends. By holding events throughout the year, and raising funds for breast cancer research it is our sincerest hope to one day put an end to this dreaded disease. We would also like to support graduating students at the East Bridgewater High School with the possibility of a scholarship in Jess’s name.

This race is one of the best races around the area and features a great run with an awesome post-race celebration. Raffle prizes, food a cash bar and events for the kids all make this race a true event perfect for the family and is an amazing fundraiser for both walkers and runners alike to participate in.

Due to a little bit of a hiccup several runners, including myself, were turned down an incorrect street and went off the road race course turning the 5K into a 3.61 mile run instead of the 3.1m normal course. I knew having done this race in the past once I hit an unfamiliar hill that something was amiss. The race directors offered sincerest apologies both at the race and in an email after the race but all runners know these sort of things happen and the good of raising funds for an important cause always outweighs adding on a half-mile to a race.

With the adjusted mileage, I finished the race with a time of 28:10, good for 7:48/miles on the 3.61 mile extended course. A great day of running and definitely a race I will be back at next year!