Registration is now open for the Race the Lake Marathon and Half-Marathon.

Race The Lake marathon and half marathon will take racers around beautiful Otsego lake in Cooperstown NY. They will run past such landmarks as the Otesaga Hotel, The Farmers Museum, The Fenimore Art Museum and The Baseball Hall Of Fame. The lake will always be on your right with awesome views of the surrounding area. This challenging course uses small county roads that are all paved and also travels through a few small townships.

Both the full and the half marathons are certified by the USATF. The full marathon can be used as a Boston qualifier. The course is also completely staffed with many local volunteers, numerous water and aid stations and also bicycle patrols ensure a safe and directed run. Included in the registration fee is a BBQ lunch, and normal finish line finger food. Tech shirts for the first 150 registered and then as supply allows. Unique awards to the overall male/female for each race and then top two in each age category.

The full Marathon starts at 8:00am in front of The Sports Center and finishes on the grounds. Day of registration starts at 6:30am and will go until 7:30. Bag pick up will be available on Friday June 12th from 8:00am to 7:30pm at The Clark Sports Center.

The half Marathon starts at 9:30am from The Abner Double Day campground.

Buses will leave The Clark Sports Center after the marathon start to transport racers to the campground. Limited parking is available at the half start and also overnight accommodation specials are available as well. After the finish vans will transport racers back to the camp ground.

Race day registration must be done at the sports center from 6:30 to 7:30. Bag pick up will be available Friday June 12th from 8:00am until 7:30 pm. and on race day from 7:30am until 8:30am at The Clark Sports Center.

Registration can be done on www.itsyourrace.com and search for Race The Lake http://RaceTheLake.itsyourrace.com/ , paper registration at The Clark Sports Center, and at the day of the event. Down load the free app from the web page for info, maps, and finishes times directly to your phone. The Marathon registration fee is $60.00 until June 8th at that time it will increase to $70.00 The half Marathon registration fee is $50.00 until June 8th at that time it increases to $60.00

Be sure to check out our friends over at Skortaholics! Skortaholics is a great website chronicling nine women who enjoy running, fitness, fashion and fun. You can visit their website by clicking here and should “Like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Registration is now open for the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon Half-Marathon. The 3rd annual running of the PA Grand Canyon will be on Saturday July 25, 2015 and Sunday, July 26, 2015 in the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, just outside Wellsboro, PA. There will be two half-marathons run on back-to-back days so please consider signing up for both!

The course takes you along the west rim of the canyon and features some of the most breathtaking views you can imagine.  Half Marathon course has been wheel measured for accuracy and every mile will be marked.  See Course Info page for details on both courses.

Enjoy the hospitality of the beautiful town of Wellsboro, with gas lights lining the streets, historic buildings, and a warm nostalgic atmosphere.  But make no mistake, the races feature all the amenities of a big city event – chip timing, tech shirts, custom finisher’s medal, expo, pasta dinner, goodie bag, on-course support, photographers, music, food, and so much more.  Proceeds are going to the Greenway Project, funding the completion of the rail trail system in Wellsboro.

To register for this race, please click here. Be sure to also check out the race on Facebook by clicking here.

(Special thanks to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon race directors who donated to the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation in exchange for this race posting. If you are a race director, please email therunninggriffin@gmail.com for details on how you can have your race listed.)

Registration is now open for the Marathon Park Prep Half-Marathon. Marathon Park Prep, former Half of Quincy, is 13.1-mile half-marathon in Ashland, MA and will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015 and is a tough test for runners training for the Boston Marathon.

The location for this race couldn’t be better. Nestled between New England’s two largest cities (25 miles from Boston and 17 miles from Worcester), Ashland and Marathon Park are both easily accessible by auto or public transportation.

Funds from this race go to support the Ashland Sports Authority which continues to rehabilitate Marathon Park, the cradle of worldwide running and the central focus commemorating the historic Boston Marathon.

You can register for the Marathon Park Prep Half-Marathon by clicking here. Please also be sure to “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.

Please join The Running Griffin at the Dreamfar 10k which is being held on Sunday, January 25th in Sharon, Massachusetts. Registration is now available online by clicking here and I look forward to seeing you at the race!

What better race can there be for runners to head out and support? Dreamfar is a non-profit established to challenge high school students to reach their full potential- physically, socially, emotionaly and academically- through a mentor-supported marathon training program. As a runner, I applaud students looking to get into the running world and looking to succeed not just as they hit the pavement but in all aspects of their life, as well.

DHSM was founded in 2008 by Jamie Chaloff, a special education teacher in Newton, Massachusetts. Jamie herself a rebel in high school, was drawn to the students who fell through the cracks; she knew there had to be a way to motivate them to be the best they could be. In 2004 Jamie completed her first marathon.  Reaching the finish line was one of the most empowering moments of her life. It was that moment that everything “clicked,” and the dream of starting a high school marathon program began.

Please be sure to register today for the Dreamfar 10K and help support this important cause. Please also be sure to “Like” this organization on Facebook by clicking here.