Join The Running Griffin in Holyoke, Massachusetts

On March 10, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, those who have any connection to Western Massachusetts head back to Holyoke, Massachusetts for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Road Race. This annual race features a challenging 10k course that is jam packed with fans cheering runners through the Paper City and sharing in some good Irish craic along the way. The race is an iconic race that features elite runners taking to the streets for the prize money and casual runners running their once-a-year road race.

The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race is excited to announce that Bill Rodgers will run in this year’s 40th Anniversary road race, marking his first return visit to the race since 1978. Rodgers, who won Holyoke for three consecutive years in 1976-1978, also is a four-time Boston Marathon winner and four-time New York Marathon winner. Rodgers will be in the registration tent from 4-6 pm on Friday, March 20, and also post-race on Saturday, March 21, for pictures and autographs. His visit is being sponsored by ES Sports and PeoplesBank.

To register for the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race, please click here. I look forward to seeing you in Holyoke on March 21st! May the wind be always at your back (particularly heading up Westfield Road)!

Register Today for Pam’s Run

On June 22, 2014 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

The Running Griffin will once again be participating in Pam’s Run which will be held in Wayland, Massachusetts on Saturday, October 18th and I hope to see you there! This run features both a 5K and 10K option and has racers run through a remarkably scenic residential section of Wayland.

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.

Last year I ran the 5 mile option at Pam’s Run and the race recap can be found here. To register for this year’s race, please click here.

It’s a Great Weekend for the Irish

On March 23, 2014 By The Running Griffin1 Comment

If you are an Irish-American and have never run the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race then you, my friend, are not truly Irish.

Historically, the city known as the Paper City hosted so many Irish immigrants that the city was called Ireland Parish. An old mill town by nature, Holyoke is a rough and tumble city that prides itself on its Irish roots each year the weekend after St. Patrick’s Day with a Saturday 10k followed by one of the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parades on Sunday morning. Mix in pubs filled with people enjoying Irish music, corned beef and cabbage and fresh Guinness and you have yourself one heck of a weekend.

The 10k road race is a hilly challenge with the first 3.5 miles featuring runners climbing their way toward Holyoke Community College. Once there, just past the four mile marker the course takes a dramatic down hill swing where you can really let the legs go. Another small incline is just past Holyoke High School around the 5.2 mile marker and the last mile is another nice downhill to allow you to kick it into the finish line.

This race prides itself on the merriment along the course with fans packing both the starting and finishing line and crowds strategically placed along the course. Parties at houses lining the course play Irish music, a marching band was at the 3.1 mile marker, a bagpiper plays away just shy of 4 miles and spectators genuinely are excited to see the runners taking to the streets of Holyoke.

This year’s race featured Dick and Rick Hoyt at the starting line as they are the JFK Award Winners and will be marching in the parade on Sunday morning.

This year, the first 3 miles or so I was cramping pretty good and had a tough time pushing through it. I felt a little better once through the hills but this was one of the first races I have done in a while as marathon training long runs have consumed a lot of my time. I finished the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race with a time of 54:57 which equates to 8:51/miles. Last year I ran about 4 minutes faster but with marathon training in full swing and stomach cramps not a terrible result.

The winners of this year ‘s Holyoke St. Patrick’s Road Race both hail from Ethiopia with Menitsu Nebsi winning the race overall with a time of 29:42 and female winner Askala Merachi beating the women’s course record with a time of 33:14. Continue reading “It’s a Great Weekend for the Irish” →

2nd Annual Frozen Pilgrim 10K

On February 17, 2014 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

I am a New Englander, born and raised. But enough is enough with the winter weather already. This winter has been cold, snowy, icy, windy, cold, colder and cold.

Sunday morning we woke up to about 10 inches of snow dumped on the South Shore of Massachusetts and a 9AM start time for the 2nd Annual Frozen Pilgrim 10k meant the driveway needed to be shoveled bright and early to make the trip down to Plymouth, Massachusetts to line up at the starting line. The roads weren’t too bad getting down to Plymouth and race time temperatures were in the mid 20’s with the sun shining on the freshly fallen snow. Once the parking lot to the Plymouth Boys & Girls Club was fully plowed runners were allowed to enter the club for registration.

Runners lined up at the starting line and were warned of the road conditions. The race took place in an industrial/office park so the roads were rather free of traffic however the freshly fallen snow left several stretches of the race with a good couple of inches of packed snow underfoot. Couple that with some icy corners, significant puddles and overall less than ideal running conditions, it was abundantly clear that any PR for runners was quickly out of the question. Several runners had Yaktrax on, but for me the normal running sneakers with a healthy helping of caution was my strategy for the day.

Having not run this course before, I was warned prior to the race of the significant hill along the way that for this race needed to be conquered twice. Making the right hand turn and having the hill in front of me just shy of the 1 mile and 3.5 mile mark it was soon realized that the hill was more along the lines of a small mountain rather than a hill.

I finished the 2nd Annual Frozen Pilgrim 10k with a time of 56:03 which equates to a 9:02/mile. Though this is off pace for a normal run, given the treacherous conditions yesterday’s run was not about time, it was just about getting to the finish line in one piece.

Lone Gull 10K in Gloucester, MA

On September 15, 2013 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

This morning it was about an hour and a half up to the North Shore of Massachusetts for the Lone Gull 10k. Held in Gloucester, Massachusetts this race was part of the USTAF Grand Prix as well as part of the Thirsty Irish Runners Grand Prix. Pulling into the parking lot, a sea of cars led us quickly to the realization that this was going to be a pretty big race.

Two early flaws with the race important to note. First is that even though my race envelope noted a large tee-shirt should have been given to me, inside was a medium. I asked to exchange given the error but they declined. Looks like this race shirt will either be a dust rag or used if I ever decide to go clubbing. Second, several runners went to the city of Beverly, Massachusetts as the race website had the wrong address listed. This was a pretty widespread issue that fortunately we did not have to deal with but was a bummer for several racers, nonetheless.

The race course for this 10k was absolutely beautiful. Last time I did a race in Gloucester I ended up having an arthroscope on my left knee so I sort of have some bad memories of Gloucester that quickly faded along the race course. The first mile and a half or so hugged the Atlantic Ocean and made for some amazing scenery to run past. The sun was glistening off the water and the homes along the water gave you something to look at and dream you owned.

After turning away from the water for a bit it was into a residential neighborhood for a little ways and the neighborhood residents cheered us along the way. As we exited that neighborhood it was down a little hill toward a different section of water where people were rowing and sailing and the Boston skyline could be seen just over the ocean’s horizon.

It was then into a gated sort of community which featured homes whose front door likely cost more than my house. Some really nice running terrain with some rolling hills carried runners up to the five mile marker as we made our way back along the Atlantic Ocean. There was a rather decent uphill at the 6 mile mark and the final .2 miles were a fast downhill into the finish line.

I finished the Lone Gull 10k with a time of 49:06 which was good for 7:55/miles. After a nice race pace yesterday, it was an awesome weekend of running!