The Running Griffin is going to Rock Cleveland! That’s right, in May it is off to Cleveland, Ohio for the 40th Anniversary of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon and I hope you will join me there! As a city known for its rock and roll history, I’ll be rocking the pavement in Cleveland the weekend of May 20th and 21st!

The Cleveland Marathon is noted to have a relatively flat and fast course complete with great volunteer support and a scenic view of downtown Cleveland and its major landmarks. The course has been designed for athletes to enjoy views of Lake Erie and many other Cleveland highlights. All Marathon runners/walkers will receive a technical short-sleeved T-shirt, goody bag, virtual race bag and a special finishers’ medallion highlighting the 40th anniversary of this race!

The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon in its 40th year of providing a running experience for all individuals who want to participate regardless of their abilities. More than 350,000 runners have participated, generating more than $15 million annually to benefit the Cleveland community.

The Cleveland Marathon began in 1978 in an effort to bring a positive and meaningful fitness event to the City of Cleveland. The original course began at Cleveland State University and traveled west to Bay Village and back. Some of the race’s most tremendous growth has occurred under the Rite Aid Pharmacy sponsorship since 2003, in which time race participation has grown 300 percent.

The Cleveland Marathon weekend features a 5k, 8k, 10k, half-marathon and marathon option therefore there is a race for runners looking for a race of any distance. There is also a kid’s run and a challenge series to mix into the running events. My plan is to tackle the full marathon race and I look forward to checking off another marathon in another state.

If you are interested in running the 40th Anniversary of the Cleveland Marathon with me, please click here to register online. It would be great to have readers join me in Cleveland for this race! You can also “Like” the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon’s Facebook page by clicking here and can follow the race on Twitter by clicking here.

Last Sunday was The Black Goose Half-Marathon which was an absolutely perfect day to hit the pavement and tackle 13.1 miles. Two weeks prior to the race I tweaked my knee pretty good playing soccer but still felt up to running the half-marathon and logging some miles on the legs.

The race kicked off in Seekonk and took runners through several towns in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The course was a very nice stretch of roads and the fall air and leaves changing colors made this race a great fall race. One section of the race took runners through streets with golf-course themed names and this loop was probably the highlight of the race for sure. Relative to elevation, the race had a couple of good hills mixed into the race and the final mile and a half had a nice climb mixed in.

Mrs. Running Griffin and I ran through the first eight miles and then I took off on my own as my knee felt a little better as each mile passed. I was able to pick up the pace in the final five miles and after the race the knee felt actually much better. Perhaps I was being too cautious but after already having had one knee surgery I don’t think there can be such a thing.

I finished the Black Goose Half-Marathon with a time of 2:25:05, good for 11:05/miles. The pace I ran this race at was to keep both legs moving and to cross the finish line and the goal was achieved. I look forward to racing the Black Goose Half-Marathon again someday and you should look to run it, too! Awesome course, reasonably priced and an all-around great time!

An absolutely perfect New England fall weekend graced runners this weekend who toed the starting line at Pam’s Run in Wayland, Massachusetts. Pam’s Run was selected as the October Grand Prix race for the Thirsty Irish Runners and a great contingent of TIR green joined me at the starting line for the 10K race.

Pam’s Run raises funds for The Neighbor Brigade. Neighbor Brigade establishes and mobilizes networks of community-specific volunteers ready to help immediately and effectively when a crisis strikes due to illness, surgery, or tragedy. Services are currently available in 35 communities in eastern Massachusetts.

Pam’s Run is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Pam Manikas Washek, founder of Neighbor Brigade and a tireless champion for families facing sudden crisis. She founded Neighbor Brigade to help those in crisis manage both emergency and routine needs, with services provided by fellow community members.

The 10K course is a great run through tree-lined residential roads and then down a dirt road past an area known as Duck Pond Farm. This part of the course was amazingly idyllic and reminded me of stretches of the Covered Bridges Half-Marathon course in Vermont. There was a nice incline at the fourth mile marker which challenged the legs quite a bit and then another quick uphill sprint was in the final mile.

I finished Pam’s Run 10K with a time of 51:51, good for 8:20/miles. This race result was good enough for me to earn third place in my age division and though I had to leave before taking home the bling I’ll be sure to wear the honor of placing with pride!

The Sean D. Biggs Memorial Foundation will host their fourth annual “BIGGSteps Toward Cancer Prevention” 5K road race, a USA Track & Field sanctioned event. The 5K and 1-mile walk will both be held on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at Broadmeadow Elementary School in Needham. The 1-mile walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 5K at 10 a.m. Kids dashes for ages up to 12 will be run after the completion of the 5K. The event appeals to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities and includes family-friendly features such as a bounce house, music provided by PressPlay Entertainment, games and hot and cold refreshments. Proceeds from the BIGGSteps event benefit cancer prevention research and local organizations providing cancer treatment and care including Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center and Surgical Pavilion, Needham and Camp Kesem MIT, a free summer camp for children touched by a parent’s cancer.

Sean Biggs was a Needham resident who lost his battle with cancer in 2012. A devoted husband, father, brother, and son, his many accomplishments included qualifying for and running six Boston Marathons, traveling to four different continents, and a successful career focused on the environment and clean energy; all while remaining the most grounded and genuine person that most had ever met. In late September of 2011, Sean was diagnosed with cancer and received treatment at the BID Cancer Center. He fought cancer with the same amazing spirit that he lived his life.

“As we celebrate the second anniversary of the Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center and Surgical Pavilion, we are thankful for the Sean D. Biggs Memorial Foundation’s help in carrying on our mission to deliver high-quality cancer care in a community setting,” said Robb Friedman, MD, Medical Director for the BID Cancer Center.

Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. Kesem’s flagship program, Camp Kesem, provides free summer camp experiences to over 6,000 children across the country through chapters at 86 colleges and universities including Sean’s graduate school alma mater, MIT. “The Kesem experience provides children a community of children who understand them,” commented Kesem CEO, Jane Saccaro. “For many children, that community is the stepping-stone for improved self-esteem, communication and emotional skills, and outlook on life. Our partnership with the Sean D. Biggs Memorial Foundation is critical to our ability to support more and more children touched by a parent’s cancer – including right here in the Boston area.”

The focus of the 4th Annual BIGGSteps Toward Cancer Prevention event is to promote everyday ways people can reduce the risk of developing cancer. Participants will receive cancer prevention information and tips and the Foundation is seeking sponsors to provide a “Runner’s Sun Protection Kit” for those who register to run and walk. The kit will feature a sun-shielding performance hat, sport sunglasses with ultraviolet ray protection, sunscreen and sun-protective lip balm. Local businesses that have already

To register for the 4th Annual BIGGSteps Toward Cancer Prevention 5K, please click here. For more information about the Sean D. Biggs Memorial Foundation, you can also “Like” the Foundation’s page on Facebook by clicking here.

Registration is open for the Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run which will be held in Salem, Massachusetts on November 24, 2016. This race is the largest race on the North Shore and is one that you certainly want to take part in! It was voted Best Holiday Race 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 by North Shore Road Race Guide.

Proceeds from the 13th Annual Wild Turkey 5 Mile Run on Thanksgiving morning benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem. This race will feature close to 2000 runners taking part in a Thanksgiving morning run ideal for burning a few calories before the turkey and trimmings hit the table at your Thanksgiving dinner. With an early start time of 8AM this is race will allow you to have a great run and earn that extra piece of pumpkin pie!

The first 1600 participants get long-sleeved Brooks tech shirts. You can register here by clicking this link: https://racewire.com/register.php?id=6648

You can also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.