On Saturday evening, it was off to Medway, Massachusetts for the Medway Police Chase 5K. Though I have taken part in a few different road races in support of local police departments, I can honestly say that the Medway Police Chase 5K was something quite unique given the race kicked off at 9PM. I have run a few different night runs but they usually are few and far between and taking part in a police chase under the cover of darkness was quite exciting. The whole idea of going the day knowing you have a race at 9PM is also an interesting runner’s nuance to try and work through.

The race course took runners on closed roads throughout Medway and the red and blue lights of the police cruisers, motorcycles and other vehicles highlighted the race course that in some parts was otherwise pitch black. There were some portable lights along the way illuminating corners and runners were provided with glowsticks to wear along the race course should they so choose while I rocked my neon Thirsty Irish Runners shirt, a neon hat and a Glimmer Gear bracelet.

Running in the dark is always interesting given the sensory differences coupled with the fact that you might not be able to see obstructions in the road. Because part of the course was through residential roads, there were sections that were illuminated a bit but there were some stretches that were completely dark. The Medway Police did a great job shutting down the roads and patrolling the course and were appreciative of all the runners out on the course supporting the Medway Police Association. The overall course was quite hilly with a healthy amount of rolling hills mixed in throughout the course. It definitely felt as though you were climbing for most of the race but thankfully right at the end of the race was a nice downhill heading into the finish.

The starting line was packed with flashing lights but quickly I broke from the pack and made my way onto the route. Despite the late starting time, I felt strong on the course and was running pretty strong through the first two miles. A couple of later uphills kept the legs honest and I continued to run strong in the final mile. I ended up finishing the Medway Police Chase 5K in 10th place overall with a time of 24:30, good for 7:53/miles.

A couple of quick modifications to this first annual race will help this race grow even better. Even though the race was at 9PM, a water stop was needed on the course. It was still warm out on the course, not scorching, but one water stop on a 5K course (even in the dark) is pretty much a standard for a 5K race. The other thing that seemed off was the price of tee-shirts. Free tees were provided to the first 100 registered runners and then were being sold for $25 to those looking for a shirt on race day. With plenty of extra shirts, charging $25 for a shirt when the day-of registration was $25 would have brought the price for the 5K to $50 if you wanted a shirt. A more reasonable price or simply giving them away would have been a better option.

The Medway Police Chase 5K was a really nice inaugural race and I hope they do this one again. A great idea in terms of differentiating against other 5Ks coupled with a nice and challenging course made this race a good option for future years, as well.

Are you tired of ruining your favorite running shirts due to all the race bib pin holes you have on the shirt? Well, worry no more because thanks to our friends over at BibBoards you can now #SaveTheShirt!

BibBoards replaces safety pins, letting you express yourself without ruining your garments. Patented BibBoards are the world’s best pinless bib number fasteners and safety pin replacements. They attach easily, and don’t damage clothes. For years, athletes have been ruining race shirts, pricking their fingers and struggling to secure race bibs. That is, until BibBoards came along!

BibBoards have a really cool ability to make customized options perfect for including a running club’s logo, a charity logo, an inspirational note or a variety of other options.

Race Directors can differentiate their road race from others by making custom BibBoards with their race’s logo on it which works well both on race day and then serves as an advertising vehicle as runners re-use the BibBoards at future runs. BibBoards makes it easy for Race Directors to design unique BibBoards for their race and would make for a nice addition to a race of any distance!

Businesses can gain visibility through sponsoring BibBoards with their logo on it for runners; the possibilities are truly endless! If you are interested in seeing how easy it is to make custom BibBoards, click here for details.

BibBoards also has some really neat standard options available for purchase including I Love Running, I Run Boston, Will Run for Wine and more! To see some of these options available for purchase, check out their website by clicking here.

For more information about BibBoards, be sure to visit their website by clicking here. You can also “Like” BibBoards on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter!

 

Yesterday morning it was off to Kingston, Massachusetts for the Kingston Waterfront Festival 5K and when the race announcer quipped that it was more of a “water everywhere” run he hit the nail on the head.

The skies opened up with some drenching rains prior to the race and then right as the race was kicking off with heavy rains soaking runners along the course. Thankfully, summer time rain is actually not that bad to run in other than the fact clothing felt as though it weighed an extra five pounds by the time you crossed the finish line.

I always knew that Kingston abutted the Atlantic Ocean but had never been to the quaint beach village in Kingston known as Rocky Nook. A small, neighborhood beach known as Gray’s Beach was in the process of being rebuilt and the beach was at the foot of a park within Rocky Nook. Rocky Nook featured small beachfront streets with a mix of cottages and homes mixed with residents and summertime visitors alike.

The course itself was a nice run through these neighborhoods and had a couple nice, quick hills mixed into the course for good measure. There was a water stop at about the midway point of the race and, yes, even though it was pouring out I still grabbed a water at the water stop. The final stretch of the race featured a quick, sharp uphill into the final one-tenth of a mile of the race just to ensure you left nothing out on the course. After the race, water, Gatorade, bananas, granola bars and maple water from DrinkMaple was available.

Later in the day, the Kingston Waterfront Festival brought an afternoon of live music, food and other activities right at the Gray’s Beach area.

Proceeds from the race went to support the Silver Lakes Regional High School Music Department.

Although I was a soggy mess by the time I crossed the finish line, I finished the Kingston Waterfront Festival 5K with a time of 23:29, good for 7:34/miles. Despite the rain, this was a great race featuring a nice course and was a bargain with registration fees at the very reasonable price of $20. Highly recommend this race!

Hey gang! It’s Mrs. Running Griffin here filling in for The Running Griffin who is being lazy and hanging out on the couch after a long weekend at a tennis tournament. I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce you to an ideal brand perfect for runners like myself called Pretty Knotty!

If you are anything like me, you probably have a drawer in your house filled with all kinds of hair elastics that probably drives your running buddy crazy! Well, thanks to Pretty Knotty I will be throwing away a healthy chunk of my stretched out, standard hair elastics and will be switching over to the Pretty Knotty brand. I’ve been using these for the past week and a half while playing tennis, swimming, on the elliptical machine, while running and around the house and have been remarkably impressed at just how awesome the Pretty Knotty brand is.

The girls also loved the Fit Ties and found them easy to use while putting in their own pony tails this week. With the oldest off to soccer camp this week, the Fit Ties will be a perfect way in the heat and humidity to keep her hair out of her face while on the soccer pitch all day long.

Pretty Knotty was developed to create better hair ties for athletes who need to keep their hair secure while being active. Pretty Knotty developed Fit Ties to empower athletes to train and compete with confidence knowing their hair is secured in the most innovative performance products available. One thing that I love about their business model is that Pretty Knotty is dedicated to developing the high-performing products by sourcing the highest-quality, most innovative materials, partnering with US based manufacturers, and hiring other local, small businesses and supports job creation here in the US by partnering with small businesses based out of RI, OH, NY, ID, IL, NJ, and WI.

The Fit Ties are designed to securely hold your hair in place while training and competing.  The low-profile design, innovative manufacturing process, and proprietary material blend combine to create a superior product that outperforms the competition. In addition to the quality in which they are made, the Fit Ties come in a cute little tin perfect to throw in the gym bag, in the glove compartment, in a drawer or in the bottom of your purse. Great products that work well and are easy to tote around; a win/win!

For more information about Pretty Knotty, please check out their website by clicking here. You can also follow Pretty Knotty on Instagram just like I did by clicking here. Be sure to support this great business and feel Pretty Knotty while doing what you love!

Registration is now open for the Dedham Trails Day 5K Trail Run and for those runners looking to tackle a nice trail run this is one race you certainly will want to register for. The Dedham Trails Day 5K Trail Run will take place on August 19th at the Dolan Center located at 269 Common Street in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Runners will take scenic trails to Whitcomb Woods and the Dolan Center Trails ending at the Dolan Center in what will prove to be a great summertime trail run.

In addition to the 5K trail race, there is also the opportunity to be able to participate in a duathalon option, as well. Sprint & Splash runners will stay to the left at the finish line to board kayaks supplied by L.L. Bean and the Town of Dedham for the 1 mile paddle on the Charles River. The paddle takes you along the scenic Charles River ½ mile out where L.L. Bean staff will be positioned to direct paddlers to turn around and then a ½ mile back to the Dolan Center launch.

After the race, runners are welcome to join the Dedham Trails festival and enjoy food, live music, face painting, games and demos of kayaks, SUP’s and fly casting with L.L. Bean. In addition to all of this, there will be dozens of environmental, health and active wear vendors available for the day helping to really round out the offerings available for the day!

To register for the Dedham Trails Day 5K Trail Run, please click here.