Narragansett Summer Running Festival Half-Marathon

On July 17, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Is there anything better than cracking open a nice cold beer on a hot summer day? I submit not. But how does a beer taste on a hot summer day after having just run a half-marathon? Well, let me tell you.

On Sunday it as just a skip away to Easton, Massachusetts for the Narragansett Summer Running Festival Half-Marathon. The festival took place on the grounds of Stonehill College and featured a 5K and 10K race offering on Saturday with the half-marathon reserved for Sunday. In the past, all three races took place on the same day therefore splitting up the events was a great way to bring more people to the run and have better logistics around the weekend.

Though the half-marathon kicked off nice and early, last weekend was the hottest weekend of the summer and the heat did not disappoint. The course took runners through residential roads of Easton for the most part and part of the course was through trails of the Natural Resource Trust’s Sheep Pasture. The heat was certainly noticeable on the course but the race directors did a nice job ensuring that there was plenty of water and Gatorade on the course for runners. Right around Mile 9 I passed a snake in the middle of the road who met his maker likely due to some heat related issue and for a brief moment I thought, “Why couldn’t I be that snake, at least the race would be over for me.” But I continued on knowing that the finish line was in the near future.

At the end of the race, runners make their way back onto the absolutely beautiful Stonehill College campus through the roads of the college and a brief half-lap on the track around the football field.

The final stretch of the half-marathon takes runners up a hill that is quite steep and particularly painful given its placement around 12.9 miles into the half. But the booming voice of the announcer coupled with fans cheering, a band playing and the wafts of Narragansett beer floating through the air make pushing it into the finish line all the better.

Certainly not my best half-marathon time but due to the weather this was more of a survival sort of run with getting to the finish line being the main goal. I finished with a time of 2:10:58 or 9:56/miles. The past few years this race has featured some hot conditions but that’s part of the challenge. Let’s see what next year brings.

Double Racing at the Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the Fifty

On July 5, 2015 By The Running Griffin1 Comment

On Friday evening it was off to the home of your New England Patriots for a race at Gillette Stadium known as the Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the Fifty. Last year the race night was absolutely stifling so this year temperatures in the 80’s made for ideal running conditions.

There is both a 5K and 10K option for this race with the 10K kicking off at 7PM while the 5K starts at 6PM. My running pals were tackling the 5K and I had signed up for the 10K but when one of them came down with some knee pain I decided to run both races in their honor.

The 5K takes runners on a quick loop of Gillette Stadium before heading back into the stadium to tackle the ramps all the way to the top tier of the stadium. Consider the run a sort of hill workout on steroids with a sea of running friends hitting the ramps along with you. A double edged sword of sorts runs through the mind as you make your way up one set of ramps as you know you will quickly be descending another set from the nosebleed section of the stadium onto the field. The 5K finishes right at the fifty yard line and New England Patriot star Nate Soldier was present high-fiving runners into the finish line.

I finished the 5K with a time of 24:44, good for 7:58/miles. Not too shabby for a course inclusive of climbing all those flights!

Having finished up the 5K, it was then time to make my way back to the starting line for the kickoff (see what I did there) of the 10K race. The 10K race features a much different course and leaves out the ramp ascents and descents and takes runners onto Route 1 briefly before then winding through mostly residential streets. Given the race is the Fourth of July weekend, neighbors use the course as a way to have little parties and cheer on runners and the support along the way mixed with the Americana feel really is perfect. After going through residential neighborhoods behind the stadium, runners then turn back into the stadium grounds on the Putnam Investments road and runners make a quick pass through the backside of the stadium before then finishing at the fifty yard line. Pat the Patriot is available for photos and runners can see themselves finishing the race on the Jumbotrons.

I finished the 10K with a time of 54:22, good for 8:45/miles. Knowing holiday cookouts were in the near future, running 9.3 miles the night before the 4th seemed like a good idea and I’m glad I did both races.

Post-race, a magnificent firework display took place and while we dined and refueled at CBS Scene’s patio we had a great view of the fireworks. A great night of running, food, drink, America and most importantly laughter with friends. This might become an annual tradition!

Keep Cool This Summer with MISSIONS’s Athletecare

On July 2, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

MISSION was founded in 2009 by an elite group of athletes looking to create an innovation-led brand focused on solving problems for athletes.

Pioneering a new product category dubbed Athletecare, MISSION uses science and real life insight from the world’s greatest athletes, to create disruptive sport technologies that elevate performance.

MISSION has some great microfiber towels available to help keep you cool during the summer heat. If you are hitting the pavement in either the heat or the humidity, MISSION’s Athletecare is a great way to cool down after a tough run. Their line includes regular, plain colors or NCAA branded towels to show support for your favorite team.

Right now, if you use the code 4TH at checkout you can land free shipping on your purchase; be sure to order today! Click here to visit their website and take advantage of this offer today.

Be sure to Like their Facebook page here and follow MISSION on Twitter by clicking here.

Run for Conservation in Plymouth, Massachusetts

On June 28, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Myles Standish State Forest is a beautiful and massive state park situated in America’s Hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts and offers visitors a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and instead immerse themselves in nature. Myles Standish has quickly become an area well known to runners as a place that offers challenging road and trail options thanks to several races that now take place inside the confines of the state forest.

Yesterday morning it was off to Myles Standish for the Run for Conservation 5K, a race that helps to raise funds for Wildlands Trust. Wildlands Trust is a favorite local charity of mine and is dedicated to conserving land and preserving the natural heritage of Southeastern Massachusetts. They work to permanently protect and steward important habitats and landscapes, including woodlands and fields, ponds, coastal areas, agricultural lands, and river systems. With so much natural beauty across Southeastern Massachusetts, the work that Wildlands Trust does to ensure that residential and commercial sprawl does not eat into the natural heritage is something we all should get behind and support.

The race kicked off at 9AM and was a reverse course from when I last did the race two years ago. After making our way down a quick hill, runners then hit a sandy path for about a mile and a half. Running on beach-fine sand can be a challenge but I was able to maintain a nice pace as I made my way toward the water stop half-way through and then back out onto the pavement. Once back out onto the pavement, the final half of the course was a rolling stretch up and down some nice rolling hills and into the finish line.

I remember running this race rather well three years ago but this year I tackled the course with an even faster pace and finished the race with a time of 21:19 or 6:51/miles. Not bad for the last day of my 33rd year on earth and maybe a sign of good things to continue into 34.

For more information about Wildlands Trust, be sure to check out their Facebook page by clicking here.

Once back out on tto

Easton Children’s Museum Fathers Day 10K

On June 26, 2015 By The Running Griffin1 Comment

To celebrate Fathers Day, it was off to the Easton Children’s Museum 10K in Easton, Massachusetts. Unfortunately ominous skies that quickly turned to rain kept the kids at home with a sitter but we were able to enjoy the day after the race. This year, the race served as the June Grand Prix race for the Thirsty Irish Runners and a huge contingent of green-clad runners hit the starting line and made their way out onto the course.

The race time temperatures were on the warm side with a healthy dose of humidity mixed into the air. The race took runners through a nice, rolling 10k course that had a couple of challenges mixed in. The race directors did a nice job having volunteers on the course handing out water, a commodity that was clearly needed given the weather. At just around mile 5.5 it started to open up in terms of the rain and the rain helped the shirt cling to the body even more.

Relative to the course, the rolling hills and mixture of neighborhoods that we ran through allowed runners to change things up in terms of running pace and some of my running pals helped the legs keep on kicking throughout the course. Post-race, there was a great award ceremony including cash for top winners and Children’s Museum mugs for age group winners and a plethora of food and drink provided by the race and by sponsors.

I finished the Easton Children’s Museum 10K with a time of 50:34 or 8:08/miles.