Saint Bridget School PTO Freaky Family 5K

On October 18, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Fall was certainly in the air yesterday morning as we made our way over to the Saint Bridget School PTO Freaky Family 5K in Abington, Massachusetts. The race kicked off nice and early at 9AM and our oldest daughter took part in the kids’ run half-mile race before the main 5K event. The kids run participants were each awarded a great pumpkin medal which was a nice touch. The race is complete with several raffles, a bouncy house, a playground for the kids and a nice post-race spread of food.

The race course was largely similar to other Abington runs such as the Abington Police Department 5K and the Sgt. Daniel Vasselian Memorial 5K. The course is a nice loop that takes runners through the streets of Abington and for Halloween the appropriate course through a cemetery. The race announcement told runners to be on the lookout for ghouls and goblins while running through the cemetery so I was convinced people would be jumping out from behind trees or something and sprinted my way through that section but thankfully did not see anyone jumping out.

After the first 2 miles of the run you make your way up a rather nice, gradual incline that stretches for about a half-mile. After making that climb it is a slow, downhill grade before making the final right hand turn onto the final road of the race. The last stretch is flat and fast and allows runners to give it one final kick into the finishing chute.

I finished the Saint Bridget School PTO Freaky 5K with a time of 23:53, good for 7:41/miles.

Bridgewater Police Department 5K

On September 27, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Yesterday morning was the 2nd Annual Bridgewater Police Department 5K. Even though I am biased since I live in Bridgewater, this race is one of the best 5K races around!

At 8:30 AM the kids 1 mile fun run takes place and our seven year-old daughter tackled the race with an awesome time of 10:17. As a proud dad, I’ll also boast she also scored a hat trick at soccer later in the afternoon!

The 5K race started right at 9AM and the course takes runners away from the police station and on a 3.1 mile loop course of Bridgewater. The Bridgewater Police Department does a great job patrolling the course particularly as runners make their way around the Central Square historic common in downtown Bridgewater. Right past the two mile marker the course takes a gradually uphill path up Cottage Street and then up Fremont Street before making the final sprint into the finish line located at the police station.

Runners all receive a finisher’s medal and the tee-shirts for the race are technical shirts and include a police badge logo and a listing of sponsors including The Running Griffin!

I finished the Bridgewater Police Department 5K with a time of 23:40, good for 7:37/miles.

Be sure to look for next year’s listing for the Bridgewater Police Department 5K; this is a race you definitely want to add to your racing calendar!

Jeff Coombs Memorial Road Race

On September 13, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

This morning was a rather overcast and dreary morning but the positive energy coming out of the little town of Abington, Massachusetts was enough to make the day so much brighter. When Jeff Coombs died in the terrorist attacks of September 11th, his wife Christie Coombs decided to honor his memory by starting a foundation in his name and hosting, amongst other events, an annual road race to raise funds for the Jeffrey Coombs Memorial Foundation.

At today’s race were several others impacted by the terrorist attacks against our nation both on September 11th, at the Boston Marathon bombing and defending our freedom across the globe. Notably, Carlos Arrendondo and Bill Richard, father of 8 year old Martin Richard who was killed at the Boston Marathon were present at today’s race and added an emotional element to the run.

Runners were presented with the option of wearing a sticker in memory of someone who lost their life in the terrorist attacks of September 11th or who died in either Afghanistan or Iraq. Given my connection to the Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation, I opted to run with Ace’s name on my race bib.

Not a dry eye was at the kickoff of run when 5 year-old Colin Van de Giesen took to the microphone to sign the Star Spangled Banner before the run. Colin’s father Kyle was killed in Iraq two weeks before Colin was born and Colin learned to sing the national anthem when listening to a patriotic CD each night before bed. When Colin finished up his singing of the national anthem, a thunderous round of applause rushed across the crowd that was speechless and quiet when first hearing of Colin’s story and then listening to each flawless note.

The race kicked off first with some US Army soldiers with complete ruck sacks hitting the 3.1 mile course. After they made their way onto the course, it was the the runners’ turn followed by a healthy contingent of walkers out to support this great cause. The race starts with a nice, gradual downhill first mile which means just one thing: a rather gradual uphill second mile. Two water stops are on the course just past miles one and two and the third mile into the finish line is a rather smoothed out flat course. A huge showing for this annual race and the energy each year just gets better and better. The emotion the race brings coupled with the great course and noble cause supported makes this race one that all runners should try to check out at some point.

This year I finished the Jeff Coombs Memorial Road Race with a time of 22:39, good for 7:17/miles; a few seconds per mile slower than last year’s run but still a pretty nice time out on the course.

2nd Annual Run for Jess

On September 6, 2015 By The Running Griffin1 Comment

On Saturday morning it was a quick trip over to the 2nd Annual Run for Jess in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Jessica Thurston was 27 years old when diagnosed with breast cancer, which quickly spread to her brain and liver. She passed away from the disease on 8/30/13 after a tough 2 year battle. All proceeds from this race goes toward the The Jessica C. Thurston Memorial Fund is a 501c3 Charitable Foundation, and with the money raised, they support local charities as well as breast cancer research.

The race course is a great 3.1 mile loop through residential roads of East Bridgewater and the race directors did a nice job moving the starting line up a bit so the race was a true 5K as last year’s race course was a touch longer than 3.1 miles. The race course is a moderately challenging route with a couple nice hills mixed in right around the first mile and then half-way into the race; nothing too terrible but noticeable for sure. Just like at last year’s race, the East Bridgewater Police Department did a nice job patrolling the course and keeping runners safe.

I finished the 2nd Annual Run for Jess with a time of 24:53, good for 8:00/miles. After still dealing with some quad pain from a soccer related injury, I felt good out on the course and was overall pleased with the result. This race is one that definitely could become an annual favorite and the cause it supports couldn’t be better!

Fort Taber 5K

On August 30, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Last night was a beautiful summer night and it was down to New Bedford, Massachusetts for the Fort Taber 5K. This race was co-directed by Charlie Breagy and two-time Boston Marathon winner Geoff Smith and took place right along the gorgeous New Bedford coastline alongside the Atlantic Ocean.

The race started at 6:30 PM as the sun was a little lower in the summer sky and the race time temps were just shy of 80 degrees. The race started off through some residential beach neighborhoods and some nice crowds of locals cheered runners on in the early part of the course. After running past the first mile marker, runners then made an about face and headed toward a bike path alongside the ocean. The salt water air was in full effect as we hit the second mile marker. The last mile of the run was past historic Fort Taber which added a nice, New England running element to the race. I had previously competed in another run at Fort Taber but this course was much better and allowed runners to gain a much better perspective of the fort’s importance situated right on the Atlantic.

After the race, runners were invited to The Pour Farm in downtown New Bedford for a free pint of Buzzards Bay Brewing‘s IPA which hit the spot after the hot evening run. After we had our pint, we crossed the street to the dynamite Mexican restaurant No Problemo for a killer burrito, chips, salsa and guacamole: all key ways to refuel in my book!

I finished the Fort Taber 5K with a time of 24:23, good for a pace of 7:51/mile. As this was the first running of this race, my hunch is that based upon the early success of this race the race will only continue to grow and I look forward to next year’s run.