Felt like running in a sauna this morning but finished up the Running Over MSA-Dan Cavanagh Memorial Virtual 5K option bright and early! Good luck to all the runners running the in-person 5K later this morning in Chatsworth, Illinois.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a combination of symptoms that affect both the central nervous system (which controls how a person moves), and the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions such as blood pressure or digestion. MSA was formerly known as Shy-Drager syndrome, olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OCPA), or striatonigral degeneration.

The symptoms of MSA reflect the progressive loss of function and death of different types of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. MSA is one of a family of neurological disorders known as an atypical parkinsonian disorder.

My father continues to battle Multiple System Atrophy so I applaud and appreciate the family who helps pull together this race and all the runners who run to raise funds to help find a cure for MSA. Funds raised from this race benefit Mission MSA.

Let’s find a cure for Multiple System Atrophy soon!

This morning we made our way a few towns over to Rockland, Massachusetts for the Rockland XC/T&F 5K. This race was a fundraiser for the Rockland High School cross-country and track and field teams and started and finished on the school grounds. It was a perfect morning for a run with the sun shining and a nice breeze keeping the course quite comfortable.

The race kicked off at 9AM and runners quickly made our way up a short hill before heading into the downtown Rockland area. The Rockland Police patrolled the open course in car and motorcycles and did an expert job ensuring runners had a smooth course experience along the way.

The course took runners through residential roads of Rockland and if you enjoyed some hills in your 5K this is the race for you. A couple nice, gradual climbs made it feel like you were climbing for a good chunk of the race before turning back into the neighborhood near the high school where things leveled out in the final mile.

Felt strong out on the course and had a good morning of running. Officially, finished the race of 23:11, good for 7:28/miles. My watch had the course a bit short of 3.1 miles but still a really nice morning of running today in Rockland.

Special thanks to Baystate Physical Therapy for being on hand and providing a nice quad, hamstring and calf stretch post-run!

Today was an absolutely perfect day for a run and when a race takes place just down the road from your house even better. And when that race raises funds for a cause that is important to you, talk about a win/win/win!

This morning it was off to the campus of Bridgewater State University for The Well 5K: A Run for Hope and Healing. It was the inaugural year for the run which went off without a hitch and seemed like they had been doing this race for years. The sun was shining and a nice contingent of runners and walkers toed the starting line and made our way out onto the course which largely stayed on the grounds of Bridgewater State University except for a quick stretch on an adjacent street.

The first mile of the race featured a nice chunk of climbing up a very appropriately named Great Hill Drive. This hill is on my regular running routes so I knew exactly what to expect and crested the top of the climb feeling pretty good. After reaching the top, it was then downhill toward the MBTA Commuter Rail stop and back through the BSU campus; a water stop was just at the bottom of the downhill stretch which came in handy today. A couple of other sneaky hills mixed into Mile 2 for good measure and then it was back toward the BSU football/soccer stadium as runners finished on a stretch of crushed stone before making a sharp right onto a brief grass stretch heading into the finish line.

Great day of running at The Well 5K and finished with a time of 24:51, good for an 8:01/mile pace.

Funds raised from this race will benefit The Well. With two locations in Bridgewater, Massachusetts and one in East Bridgewater, The Well offers holistic services, programs and events that address the needs of the mind, body, and spirit while exploring the interconnectedness of all three. To learn more about the amazing services offered by The Well, please visit their website by clicking here.

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