Our Promise to Nicholas Foundation is hosting a 5 K Run in Wayland, Massachusetts on Sunday, October 2nd that will raise money for a childhood brain disease called Batten Disease.

Nicholas lost his battle with Battens Disease on his 11th Birthday, May 9, 2014. He was diagnosed 7 years ago with a life threatening brain disease known as Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis, or Batten disease. Children with this disease suffer from seizures, blindness, dementia, immobility, and will typically die between the ages of eight and twelve. Batten disease is potentially curable if given enough support for research.

The Fourth Annual John Tanner 5K is held in remembrance of Nicholas’ marathon runner who passed away in the NYC half marathon in 2013. John Tanner was an exceptional athlete and competitive runner who unexpectedly passed away while running the NYC half marathon in spring 2013. He devoted all of his races to raising awareness about Nicholas and Batten disease.

The 5k run/walk course starts and finishes behind the Wayland Town Buildings at 41 Cochituate Road in Wayland, MA. There will be guides at each turn and turnaround cone. Each runner will receive a tee-shirt and there is a huge raffle post-race.

To register for the Fourth Annual John Tanner 5K, please click here.

For more information about Our Promise to Nicholas, please visit their web site at www.OurPromiseToNicholas.com.

Registration is now open for the 5K Dash for Dreams race which will be held on Saturday, October 1st at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Brighton, Massachusetts.

The 5K will take runners around the gorgeous reservoir with a photographer on-site capturing all the best running photos of the day! Your run or walk will be timed by Spitler Race Systems. If you have never run the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, you will be in for a real treat racing the reservoir on a beautiful fall day, taking in the New England air and supporting a great cause!

All proceeds from the race will go to support students and the Flying Kites expansion of their campus in Njabini, Kenya

In addition to operating a primary school in Kenya, Flying Kites partners with 14 private and public schools to offer over 80 scholarships to students throughout Kenya. They currently support students in nursery school all the way to university and their secondary school students attend schools across Kenya and their LaunchPad team works with each institution’s infrastructure to determine a students’ academic progress through: national exams, class placement, school reports/grades, attendance, participation and self-surveys completed by secondary students.At Flying Kites in Kenya, they are igniting the potential of vulnerable children in their School and LaunchPad. Through an emphasis on leadership, education and community, the students of Flying Kites are being empowered to change the world.

To register for the race, please click here. For more information about Flying Kites, be sure to check out their website and “Like” them on Facebook!

Yesterday morning it was over to Easton, Massachusetts for the Hip Hop 10K, which also served as the August Grand Prix race for the Thirsty Irish Runners running club.

The race kicked off at 9AM which is always a great idea to combat the August summer heat that has a way of making running even more challenging. The air was still hot and there was a touch of humidity in the air but thankfully this mostly residential road 10k course features some nice shaded roads which made a world of difference. When running without any shade, the warm summer air could certainly be felt.

With a mostly rolling residential 10k course, there is a really good hill in the final half-mile that challenges the already weary legs quite nicely. After charging up that hill, it is then into a flat final stretch looping around Oliver Ames High School where the race starts and finishes. The race had three water stops on the course but for a 10k, particularly in summer, one extra water stop might be a good idea for next year.

The Hip Hop 5K/10K was started by hip dysplasia patient Emily Cioffi in 2013 in response to the need for better treatment and awareness of hip dysplasia for patients of all ages; newborns to adults. In the past 3 years it has grown to become a prominent town event in Easton, MA drawing in participants from all over the country. We pride ourselves on an organized registration system, timely start, and an excellent volunteer staff throughout the race course. The road race committee works hard year round to aid in promoting awareness and fundraising to assist Boston Children’s Hospital Orthopaedic Hip Program, and the IHDI in their research to develop better, more efficient methods of diagnosis, as well as less invasive forms of treatment to hopefully minimize the severe physical and mental repercussions of hip dysplasia. As we continue to grow, we hope you will join us to help us reach this years goal of 40,000 and over 500 participants!

I finished the race with a time of 52:31, good for 8:25/miles.

Be sure to keep an eye on this race for next year’s run as the course is a great one and the race is very well organized. You can “Like” the race on Facebook and follow it on Twitter.

Registration is now open for the 9th Annual BPD Emerald Society Road Race. The race will be held on September 11th this year in Roslindale, Massachusetts and benefits Cops for Kids with Cancer, an organization that supports the families with children stricken with cancer.

Donations to Cops for Kids with Cancer have, for example, saved a family from eviction, helped pay down overwhelming bills and paid to repair the only vehicle used to travel back and forth to the hospital. The situations are heartbreaking and all too real. In the last 4 years, including hospital donations, Cops for Kids with Cancer has given to over 280 families in need, totaling more than $1,400,000.00 in and around New England.

The 5K course, certified by USA Track and Field, starts in front of the Emerald Society Hall and will head up Belgrade Ave to Walworth St, around Fallon Field and then up Walter Street towards the picturesque Arnold Arboretum. After passing through the Arboretum the race will continue back towards the finish line in Roslindale Village.

Please check out the race website at http://www.bpdemeraldsociety.com/sept-11th-road-race/.

After the race, there will be a social in front of the Emerald Society Hall located at 10 Birch Street. This race is a great time every year and benefits a very worthy organization. I hope to see you all there!

Run for a great cause! MitoAction will be hosting their 12th annual Energy Walk & 5K on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at DCR’s Mother’s Rest in South Boston, MA. Register today at www.mitoaction.org/walk

Please be sure to also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.