Order Your Paceband Today!

On November 21, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

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With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to purchase a Paceband for the runner on your shopping list. These hugely helpful bands help runners track their pace against a predefined desired finish time and currently come in both marathon and half-marathon distance with paces varied for runners of all paces. Paceband is endorsed by star American marathoner Ryan Hall!

Pacebands are patent-pending silicone bands that runners of all levels can wear on their wrists to make sure they stay on pace during their race.

The bands include a target finish time for each distance (marathon, half marathon, etc.) and individual splits for each distance marker so athletes know what their cumulative time should be when they reach a certain number of miles or kilometers.

I have been training with the green half-marathon pace band and it is a useful tool to assist in pacing yourself while training. In a race, the Paceband will allow me to match my running pace as with the time on the band and the time on the mileage clock. The Paceband itself is lightweight and does not irritate the wrist in the slightest.

To order your Paceband or to order one for the runner you are holiday shopping for, please click here.

The Running Griffin Offers Discount for FOP Lodge 5 Miler

On November 17, 2015 By The Running Griffin2 Comments

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Registration is now open and will be closing soon for the MA FOP Lodge #28 Annual New Year’s Day Frozen Five Mile Run!

Where can you go on a New Year’s Day morning, take a five mile run, support the Fraternal Order of Police (a charity organization) and have an ALL YOU CAN EAT breakfast afterwards for only $25.00? Come join MA. FOP Lodge #28 for their 2016 Annual Frozen Five Mile Run. Trophy for first place overall Male and Female winner. Awards given to first and second place Male and Female in six (6) different age categories, 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 and 60+. Water station and timing provided. T-Shirts will be provided to all PARTICIPANTS. Bring a guest for breakfast at no extra charge!!! (Just not the whole family!!!!)

I have run this race a couple of times and the race is a top-notch way to kick off the new year! The Running Griffin is proud to have partnered with the race and is offering readers a discounted race entry of $20. For information on how you can register for $20, please email therunninggriffin@gmail.com.

ENERGYbits Discount Code

On November 15, 2015November 15, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

ENERGYbits® have a high concentration of plant-based protein (64%) and provide a steady stream of energy and focus all naturally. They also contain 40 vitamins and minerals, including iron, nitric oxide, Omega- 3 and all the B Vitamins. Remarkably with all this nutrition, ENERGYbits® have just ONE INGREDIENT, organically grown Non-GMO spirulina algae. Not only has spirulina algae been a favorite of Olympic athletes for decades, it is the most environmentally sustainable food in the world. It has even been used in Asia for over fifty years and is endorsed by the United Nations, NASA and the Carnegie Institute as the most nutritionally dense food in the world. ENERGYbits are both vegan, paleo and since they are absorbed instantly and contain NO sugar, caffeine, chemicals, gluten or anything artificial, they never create cramping or stomach distress.

We’re not aware of anything that offers your body and the environment the blend of benefits you get from ENERGYbits® so we are excited to be working with them. We hope you’ll try them soon and when you do, use the promotional code THIRSTYIRISH to get a 20% DISCOUNT off your purchase. You can only buy ENERGYbits® online at www.energybits.com. When you check out, just enter discount code THIRSTYIRISH into the coupon box and your discount will immediately show up and works on all their products.

Thanks to my running club Thirsty Irish Runners and ENERGYbits for this great deal!

Race the Lake Marathon & Half-Marathon

On November 8, 2015November 7, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Looking for a marathon or half-marathon to add to your 2016 racing schedule? Registration is now open for Race the Lake Marathon & Half-Marathon.

Race The Lake Marathon and Half marathon will take racers around beautiful Otsego lake in Cooperstown NY. You 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. The course is very challenging and runs on small county route roads through small villages . Both the full and the half are certified by the USATF ,the race can be used as a Boston Marathon qualifier . The course is also completely staffed with many local volunteers. Numerous water and aid stations and also bicycle patrols that ensure a safe and directed run. Finishers will have included in the registration fee a bbq with finish line food . Awards to the overall male and female of both races and also age group awards will be given to the top three in each . Tech shirts to those who register before May 15th 2016 are guaranteed. All finishers will receive a medal as well

2015 TCS NYC Marathon

On November 2, 2015 By The Running Griffin1 Comment

This weekend was the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon weekend and I made my way to the Big Apple on Friday morning to take in the scene and tackle the 26.2 mile course through the five burroughs of New York. The entire experience was one I will never forget.

On Friday afternoon, I hit up the race expo to pick up my bib number, shirt and bag of goodies. For those who know me, you may be surprised to know I also sprung for a marathon jacket and will wear it proudly going forward. The race expo was a really well orchestrated event and there were a lot of familiar faces at the expo in terms of running vendors including The Running Griffin sponsors Honey Stinger and Sparkly Soul!

Thanks to the magic of Twitter, I was able to find a shakeout run with Bart Yasso at Paragon Sports on Saturday morning. A great group of runners hit the store at 8AM and made our way out into the streets for a 3 mile warm up run. It was a great way to meet some other runners who would be tackling the marathon the next morning. After the run, I made my way over to a great outdoor market and then went to the World Trade Center Memorial. Having never seen the memorial before, it was amazing how quiet it was at the memorial; you could literally hear a pin drop. I was able to find Ace Bailey’s name on the memorial and decided to focus on all the good that has come out of tragedy, particularly with the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation, for which I have been a supporter for the past five years.

After a nice pasta dinner Saturday early evening I made my way back to the hotel and went to bed nice and early to rest up for the big day.

Sunday morning was now upon me and I hopped in an Uber to head to the Whitehall Terminal where the Staten Island Ferry shuttled runners over to Staten Island. Though there was a little bit of a delay boarding the ferry, trying to transport that many people is no yeoman’s task and all things considered it went quite smoothly. After the ferry ride, a bus ride took us to the starting area. The starting area was remarkably well organized and featured plenty of space, port-o-potties, coffee and more! Before I knew it, my wave and corral were being called and it was time to tackle the course.

Once the starting cannon went off, it was onto the Verranzano bridge lower deck. Running on the bridge was quite an experience but then hitting the first wave of crowds in Brooklyn was all the better. My favorite section of Brooklyn was early in the run when revelers were having an old school block party while blasting “No Sleep Till Brooklyn.” I can imagine that on this day, there is probably no getting sick of the Beastie Boys on repeat.

For the first half-marathon I ran the race pretty well, actually picking up negative splits at some points. But with about 10 miles to go the legs started to get sore and tired. No matter how much fluids and energy I was taking, it seemed a little harder to keep pushing along but I was determined to get there.

Heading up the road before making a turn into Central Park was a gradual incline that certainly made itself known on the legs. Once inside Central Park, knowing there was just two miles to go a renewed sense of energy was present and I started to run a little bit better. The last mile the emotion of knowing the end was just down the road made each painful step a little easier and crossing the finish line was amazing. Though this was my seventh marathon completed, there is something about crossing the finish line that is always moving. Having a volunteer place your medal around your neck simply can’t be beat.

The people of New York and the spectators who ascended upon the city for the race were, simply put, amazing. The crowds of people cheering you along seemed to never stop. Revelers were cheering the entire way, sanitation workers clapped you along, police officers were waving and dancing as you ran by. The signs along the course included a plethora of “That’s what she said” related signs mixed with a healthy dose of Donald Trump related signs inclusive of “You will hit the wall at Mile 20. We should get the Mexicans to pay for it” and “I’ve never met a marathoner, but I am sure they are good people.”

The music on the course ranged from DJs to high school marching bands, a Latino church choir to a gospel choir at a Baptist church, rock bands to bagpipers, solo performers to a Japanese drum line. The music demonstrated the diversity of each runner tackling the marathon course and it helped push me along.

I finished the 2015 TCS New York City Marathon with a time of 4:48:24. It wasn’t my worst marathon, but certainly wasn’t my best. But you know what, I finished. I completed the NYC Marathon and am still standing and still able to blog about my experience today. Thanks to the good people of New York City for making it such a great experience!