Tag: Half-Marathon

Race Recap: Horseneck Half-Marathon

On By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

This Sunday it was off to the coastal community of Westport, Massachusetts for the Horseneck Half-Marathon. Westport is an absolute gem of a town on the South Coast and is one of my favorite spots around so having heard good things about this race from previous runners definitely pushed me to registering for the race.

The race started and finished at Horseneck Beach and took runners through the streets of the coastal community. In terms of scenery, this race definitely was amongst some of the most beautiful half-marathons that I have done rivaling races such as the Covered Bridges Half-Marathon up in Vermont, for example.

Race morning temperatures proved to be quite warm and were amongst some of the warmer temperatures we have seen so far this spring. Though there was a cool breeze while standing adjacent to the beach at the starting line, out on the course finding spots of shade whenever possible was a must as the heat started to hit pretty nicely.

The course was a beautiful run and was mostly flat with a couple of hills mixed in for good measure. Runners passed by spots like Buzzards Bay Brewing and Westport River Winery and through residential roads going along the coast, along cattle farms, protected open space land and more. Honestly, some of the roads that runners ran along gave you more than enough to revel in and made the running all that much more enjoyable.

There was good support on the course when it came to volunteers along the way and different sections featured small contingents of fans cheering runners along the way. If I lived in the area I would for sure be hosting a little viewing part of sorts to add to the vibe along the way!

The heat definitely gave me something to contend with and the second half of the race it hit me more than in the first half of the race. Additionally, I have been dealing with some plantar fasciitis pain and that definitely was hitting me harder than normal out on the course but I kept on trucking determined to finish the race. (Side note: I’ve tried ice, compression, shock wave therapy and massage so if you have a magic trick, hit me up!)

My only real gripe with the race was that for a half-marathon a few extra aid stations with water and electrolytes would have been useful as a couple of them were spaced out a bit too much. Certainly with the heat it would have been useful as there were a number of runners being tended to by paramedics out on the course due to the heat but even on a normal temperature day, one or two extra hydration stations could have gone a long way.

I finished up the Horseneck Half-Marathon with a time of 2:22:09, good for 10:51/miles. Certainly not my best running out there but chalking up a half-marathon is never a bad thing so happy to mark this one complete!

Register Today for Duxbury Half-Marathon!

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Registration is now open for the Duxbury Half-Marathon which will be held in Duxbury, Massachusetts on April 1st! (This isn’t an April Fools joke, we really think you should go register for this race today!)

Runners will run through the historic South Shore village of Duxbury. The course starts at the Duxbury Senior Center on the edge of the town forest along Mayflower Street, originally a Native American trail. The gentle hills prepare you for Bay Road, 2 miles of “heartbreak” hills, and water vistas. You’ll enter “downtown” Duxbury and circle around Standish Shore running along paths the Pilgrims walked on Captains Hill. Captain Myles Standish (the monument) will point the way to the Shipbuilders District and scenic Washington Street. Catch your breath, you have only 4 miles to finish! This route gives you a bit of everything from scenic vistas, beautiful flats and challenging hills. This community fully supports the runners offering you orange slices, jelly beans, water stations and good cheers.

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As someone who has been impacted by the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, I love that this race’s registration fee benefits the Duxbury Senior Center Alzheimer’s Programs. The Duxbury Half-Marathon is sponsored by the Duxbury Friends of the Council on Aging. It would be great to see some faithful readers at the starting line to help raise funds for an amazing program.

Runners will receive a race shirt along with their registration fee and as an added bonus Duxbury bay oysters will be available at the finish line, as well!

To register for the Duxbury Half-Marathon, please click here to register online. For more information about the Duxbury Half-Marathon, please “Like” their page on Facebook here and follow the race on Twitter!

 

Marathon to Marathon: Final Year!

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As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. This is the final year for the Marathon to Marathon so don’t miss your opportunity to run a great race!

This year is the 22nd annual (and final!) Marathon to Marathon which will be held on June 10, 2017! This Heartland USA Classic is USA Track and Field Certified and Sanctioned, is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and attracts many athletes from in and around the state of Iowa. Runners are encouraged to toe the starting line in Storm Lake, Iowa and race the course that finishes in the perfectly named Marathon, Iowa.

Come and enjoy small town friendliness and big time fun. The course will have aid, Gatorade, and water stations available every 2.5 miles (stations are closer towards the finish line) and fresh fruit is on the course with GU Energy Gel available at mile markers 10, 15, and 21. All registrants will receive a Dri-Fit shirt as part of their registration fee and medals will be awarded to all marathon finishers.

In addition to the full marathon, the Marathon to Marathon also features a marathon relay option, a half-marathon and a 5K race, as well. Be sure to check out the race site for more details about the race options.

To register for the Marathon to Marathon, please click here. You can also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here for additional information about the Marathon to Marathon!

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The Hogeye Marathon: It’s a Pretty Pig Deal

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Registration is now open for The Hogeye Marathon series and it’s a pretty pig deal that you go and register for this race today! The Hogeye will take place on April 8, 2017. The Hogeye Marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier so if you are looking for a race to qualify for the 2018 Boston Marathon this one is for you!

This year marks the 41st year that The Hogeye has been run and features full marathon, a half-marathon and a marathon relay. In addition to the marathon series of races, there is also a 5K option which makes The Hogeye the perfect event for runners of all abilities.

This year’s race has a new course and runners will be running in Springdale, Arkansas as they tackle their respective challenge. The new course will take runners past the city’s five major parks and, as in previous years, will include a portion of the Lake Fayetteville Trail. The course will be run primarily on Springdale streets, but sections will run through Johnson and Fayetteville, and a small portion of the 26.2-mile course will take place on the Razorback Greenway.

The Hogeye has some of the most reasonable registration fees around with the marathon priced at $80 and the half-marathon running $60.

All marathon and half-marathon finishers will receive a medal upon completion of the course. Tech shirts are also provided to all runners as part of the entry fee.

For more information about The Hogeye Marathon, please click here. Be sure to give a “Like” to The Hogeye on Facebook by clicking here.

WMass Mother’s Day Half-Marathon Race Recap

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On a day that is supposed to be full of relaxation and pampering for mothers, I decided to bring Mrs. Running Griffin out to Western Massachusetts and have her run a half-marathon with me!

The WMass Mother’s Day Half-Marathon takes place in Whately, Massachusetts which is a small, rural farm community situated in beautiful Western Massachusetts. The race kicked off in the Yankee Candle factory parking lot so the scent of candles wafted through the race air and made me really want a piece of apple pie; subliminal candle scents must work!

The race day weather was rainy and the temperatures were sort of all over the place throughout the time out on the race course. The rain was misting at times and coming down more steadily at other times and the variation in temps ranged a bit adding an interesting component to the race that needed to be considered.

The first half of the race had a couple of decent hills mixed into the race and in the very first mile there was a nice incline that made me initially worry the race was going to be terribly hilly. But after hitting the Mile 7 water station the terrain really flattened out. The hills were rolling for the most part in the first half of the race and overall the elevation changes were quite fair but offered a nice challenge.

There were some absolutely beautiful stretches of this race as runners made their way past brooks and streams and alongside country roads full of farms, farm stands, small businesses and supporters greeting runners along the way. Some houses alongside the course had nice porches where locals read their papers and had a morning cup of coffee and cheered on the runners. The race had a feel reminiscent of the Covered Bridges Half-Marathon in Vermont and I highly recommend the race.

I finished the WMass Mother’s Day Half-Marathon with a time of 1:56:36 good for 8:55/miles. Overall not a bad a result for a moderately challenging race and some bad weather. I’ll take it!

Be sure to check out the WMass Mother’s Day Half-Marathon’s Facebook page to keep up to speed relative to next year’s run.