Race Recap: West Island 5K

On April 24, 2016 By The Running Griffin2 Comments

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Thankfully today’s race kicked off at 11AM which allowed me to take in my 8 year old’s soccer match that started at 8AM. Perhaps seeing her take the pitch and have a strong game was the motivation I needed to go out and have a good run today!

I left soccer and made my way to Fairhaven, Massachusetts for the West Island 5K. West Island is a great beach community of Fairhaven that has charming homes along the water. The race starts right next to the community center and a general store that sells the essentials needed for beach living.

I ran the West Island 5K in 2013 and many of the memories I had from that race came true again today. The course starts on a very nice downhill trajectory prior to making a left hand turn into residential roads. As runners make their way out to the tower along the water pictured in the medal above, a water stop is present and allows runners to quickly take some water before heading toward the Mile 2 marker. The final mile is a rather gradual climb heading back toward the finish line on this out-and-back course. I remembered when I pulled up to the race that the final .2 miles of the run features that downhill that was so enjoyed on the way out but becomes far more noticeably uphill given there are not as many people around as there were at the start. I put my head down and made my way up the hill and blasted into the finish chute feeling pretty good overall.

I finished today’s West Island 5K with a time of 23:25, good for 7:32/miles. Knowing I felt pretty strong along the course, it was nice to see that hard work pay off as I improved my 2013 time by 22 seconds.

Be sure to “Like” West Island 5K on Facebook by clicking here as this race is a great race you will want to add to your 2017 race schedule.

Register for the West Island 5K

On March 24, 2015March 24, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Registration is now open for the West Island 5K. I competed in this race back in 2013 and I am glad to see that this race continues on strongly. The race is a great race in the absolutely beautiful West Island section of Fairhaven and this race is one that you will definitely want to add to your racing calendar. Please click here to register today.

If you are looking for a 5K that is fast, flat, and family-friendly then the West Island 5K is the one for you! The course features an out and back course that starts with a quick downhill and ends with a challenging uphill to the finish. Plan an escape to southeastern Massachusetts and enjoy the breathtaking panoramic ocean views during the race. Join other runners on Sunday, April 26 in Fairhaven for the 3rd Annual West Island 5K Run/Walk & Kids Mile Fun Run. Here are some great reasons to sign up:

· Gorgeous course with ocean views along the shores of southeastern Massachusetts

· Support worthy causes: the Fairhaven High School Cross Country program and the non-profit, Strive and Achieve (www.striveandachieve.org)

· USA Track & Field Certified (MA13007JK)

· Chip timed by RaceWire

· Tech shirts for the first 600 5K runners/walkers

· Prize money for the top 3 overall men/women finishers and course records and medals for the top 3 age group finishers

· Tons of post-race raffle prizes

· It’s a great way to kick-start your Spring!

Whether you’re a 5K novice or a veteran, this event is for anyone looking for a fun time. To learn more about the race and sign-up, go to www.westisland5k.org.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact the Race Director, Lyle Drew at westisland5k@yahoo.com or 571-765-0910. You can also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.

2nd Annual West Island 5k

On April 28, 2013 By The Running Griffin3 Comments

This morning it was off to Fairhaven, Massachusetts for the 2^nd Annual West Island 5k. It was an absolutely perfect spring morning and heading down toward the coastal town of Fairhaven was a nice drive however what was ahead along the race course far outweighed a nice drive down. The scenic run on the West Island section of Fairhaven made for an ideal course to get a nice 5k race in along.

The race started off with a moment of silence for those injured and killed at the recent terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon which was then followed by a brilliant rendition of the Star Spangled Banner sung by a local student with the crowd of runners joining in leaving you with pre-race goose-bumps before the race kicked off.

The race started on a nice downhill which led to a sharp left turn onto an iconic beach neighborhood road. The road hugged the water and runners raced past both year round homes and seasonal cottages available to rent for those looking to have a week at the beach. What was quite nice about running through this neighborhood is that the locals came out in force and cheered runners along while pounding on the pavement in front of their homes.

As you passed the mile mark, you began to head down another beach road and made your way to a watch tower housed within a sand parking lot at the end of the beach. Water was available as you looped your way through the parking lot and back out the road toward the 2 mile mark. The last mile was a gradual increase in terms of elevation for the earlier part before it leveled out back through the same neighborhood the race started off on.

The last .2 of the race was trudging back up the downhill terrain that the race started off on and after a long 21 mile training run yesterday, every step on the last .2 really was earned racing up the hill.

I finished the 2^nd Annual West Island 5k with a time of 23:47 which is good for 7:47/miles. Special thanks to Westport Chiropractic for a great post-race stretching of my calves and hamstrings and for not laughing too much at how tight a runner actually can be.