Cold Winter Run in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Every year my brother and I pick a different location to visit to catch a college basketball  game, enjoy a couple of craft beers and eat food that likely is less than what most running coaches would call ideal. But tradition is tradition and this past weekend it was off to the cold city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin for our annual trip.

The basketball trip included the Big East matchup between Marquette University and Providence College and we quickly came to realize that the rich beer brewing history that Milwaukee is proud to boast still hods true to this very day. With visits to Lakefront Brewery and Milwaukee Brewing Company coupled with a stop recommended by Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives a good run was well in order.

Saturday morning we bundled up and took a 3-4 mile run through the streets of Milwaukee up toward the Marquette campus to check out what the campus had to offer. The streets of Milwaukee were cold and breezy but the run was much needed and running in a new city is a great way to take in the sites. We ran up toward Marquette which has the feel of being a sort of older campus smack dab in a quasi-urban setting. We ran past the campus church, athletic facility, classroom buildings and frat houses and took in the campus in a way far greater than just passing by in a rental car.

Whenever I am in a new place, running is a great way to see the city and I encourage you that if you are traveling to always pack your running gear and get some miles in. After all, since we usually eat worse when we are away from home, packing the running gear, if nothing less, allows you to really enjoy that diner, drive-in or dive!

2nd Place Overall Finish at CRR Winter Fun Run in Raynham

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This morning it was basically around the corner to the Colonial Road Runners Winter Fun Run in Raynham, Massachusetts. The 4 mile run is held Sunday mornings at 9AM and is on a moderately challenging rolling course. The temperature at race time today was an unseasonable 50 degrees, however the wind was absolutely whipping and was quite tough to contend with.

As I made my way toward the first mile I noticed, “Wow, there is no one in front of me.” Finally a runner came up alongside me and took the lead and served as my pace car until he ran out of sight. But even as I kept on running along I noticed, “Wow, there is no one right behind me” and kept chugging along. It is a different feeling serving as your own pace and at a few times the mind games of slowing, stopping or sprinting were almost unavoidable.

As I made my way up a large hill leading back down to the final mile the wind was blowing directly in my face and getting up the hill seemed almost impossible. My body felt as though I weighed 900 pounds and my legs felt as though no matter how much I pumped they would not move. The wind was some of the strongest I can recall running in and it knocked the wind out of your breath and was a force to be reckoned with.

I finished the CRR Winter Fun Run with a time of 30:52 good for 7:43/miles. I ended up finishing in 2nd place overall in the race and in my book, 2nd place is 2nd place!

Get Fit for Floating with The Running Griffin

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Previously I have written about the challenge that The Running Griffin and Mrs. Running Griffin went through when Mrs. RG was admitted to Tufts Medical Center with severe preeclampsia, lived there for 7 weeks and then gave birth to our daughter Cailin at just 33 weeks when she weighed 2 lbs. 13 oz. Some people might think running a marathon is tough but after going through a medical ordeal like this, 26.2 miles is just putting one foot in front of the other.

Last year, we ran the Boston Marathon together to raise funds for the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation. Founded after former Boston Bruin Ace Bailey died in the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation raises money to benefit the NICU at Floating Hospital for Children in Boston where Cailin received amazing care!

This year, Mrs. Running Griffin is hitting the Hopkinton to Boston trail again for the 2013. Boston Marathon and again is raising funds for the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation. You can donate online by clicking here.

As part of the fundraising, what better way than to donate to a great cause and get a good 3 week workout challenge in, as well. Join The Running Griffin and Reno Race Promotion for the Sweat for a Cause Get Fit for Floating Challenge. For just a $10 donation, you can burn calories by running, doing situps and/or doing squats. Compete against your group of friends and track your results all while supporting the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation.

You can sign up for Get Fit for Floating by clicking here. Let the games begin!

The Cure is Coming 5k & Awareness Walk

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The Cure is Coming! 2013 will be held in Lexington Center on May 4th. The event will feature a 5K Road Race, a 4-mile Awareness Walk and Wheelchair Ride, a picnic lunch, music and family entertainment! The Cure is Coming! is dedicated to raising ALS awareness and raising funds for ALS Therapy Development Institute, the largest non-profit biotech solely focused on finding an effective therapy for ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease.

In 2012, The Cure is Coming had more walkers and runners than ever before and raised over $80,000 for ALS TDI. They hope to break records again in 2013. Join us!

Here is the race recap from last year’s run. Join The Running Griffin at this year’s run and help find a cure for ALS!

Weary Traveler Road Race in Bourne, Massachusetts

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Yesterday morning it was down to Bourne, Massachusetts for the Weary Traveler Road Race sponsored by the Cape Cod Road Runners. This race is a nice, old-fashioned organized race down on Cape Cod that is a 4.88 mile run.

Since it is always in the beginning of January, the weather is the wildcard each year but yesterday was a rather nice morning with temperatures in the high 30’s and a touch of snow left along the sides of the road . There was a corner on the course that was a bit slippery and another runner next to me went down pretty hard on the turn but got back up quickly and finished up the run.

The course is a moderately challenging course through the streets of Bourne with some typical Cape Cod rolling hills mixed in. At one point of the race runners hug the shoreline  before making a left turn back into residential neighborhoods and hit the water stop about half-way through the race.

The last mile or so of the race is a pretty good incline before hitting a rather fast and flat final stretch into the finish line. Runners are handed Popsicle sticks with their finishing place on them upon crossing the finish line which also double as a raffle ticket in the post-race reception.

The race organizers put on a quahog chowder and clam fritter post-race spread and the bar at the Weary Traveler is open for exceptionally reasonably priced beverages.

Proceeds from the race benefit both the Bourne Conservation Trust and the Shriners Hospital for Children.

I finished the 4.88 mile race with a time of 36:02 which is good for 7:23/miles.