Tag: Relay

Myles Standard Marathon Relay

On By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

ImageThis morning it was an early ride down to Plymouth, Massachusetts for the Myles Standish Marathon Relay. As part of Team A from the Thirsty Irish Runners three teams Rosie, Fitzy, Jimmy, Jamie and I packed into a car and made our way to Myles Standish State Forest for the starting line. We had already planned our legs and I was up fourth for a 6.0 mile leg that some noted was “probably the most hilly, difficult leg of the course.” Awesome.

My leg started in the Myles Standish State Forest and the first two miles had me climbing up and then running back down rolling hills that just did not quit. As I made my way out of the forest it was then onto another hilly road that led me back toward Route 3 before making a right hand turn into a residential neighborhood that was full of, yes you guessed it, some more hills. After crossing over a main road, I ran toward the mile 19 marker which was outside of the Pine Hills section of Plymouth. A left hand turn then had the last mile of running take me through a dirt road through the woods into the transition point on the back side of Rye Tavern, which is located within Pine Hills.

The last stretch of running within the woods was hands down the best part of my run, and not just because it was the only flat part. Something about running on dirt through the woods really gave an autumn feel to this section of the run.

The course was certainly not for the faint of heart and every single runner had a good chunk of hill work mixed into their leg of the run.

Proud to say that Team A from the Thirsty Irish Runners lived up to the hype and took first place amongst the three TIR teams. I felt really strong on the course today even while climbing all the hills I was tasked with and was proud to pick off some other teams along the way!

Image(Photo Credit: Random person using Anne’s phone)

2013 Fred Brown Lake Winnipesaukee Relay

On By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

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It was an early morning yesterday leaving home at 4:30 AM to meet up with a fellow Thirsty Irish Runner to make the two hour drive up to the Lake Winnipeseaukee region of New Hampshire for the 2013 Fred Brown Lake Winnipesaukee Relay. The relay is an iconic relay race put on by the North Medford Running Club and features 65.1 miles of running around Lake Winnipesaukee with 8 legs and 5-8 runners on each team. The race starts and finishes at a large arcade called The Fun Spot.

After making the drive up we met up with our other teammates and received our running assignments. I was given the third leg which features 9.3 miles of running from Alton Bay to Kingswood High School in Wolfeboro. The race website notes that this leg is a “hilly course” which is a pretty good underestimation. Though much of the 65.1 miles have some good hills mixed in, I felt to be climbing and descending for many of my miles. I definitely could have fueled better and the sun baked down on the stretch of my leg that was along an unshaded highway. Thankfully there was some great support from both my teammates and other teams and spectators along the way that provided me with water and Gatorade.

This was my first relay and it was a unique experience. It was pretty awesome to be able to check out so many different areas and root your teammates and others along throughout the race. There was a nice camaraderie built not just between our team but other teams, as well. Of course, when your team is complete with two support vehicles and a camper you really have a way of making an impression when pulling into exchange points. There were a lot of teams that were from running clubs we traditionally don’t see so it was good seeing some new faces but still seeing some familiar friends from groups like Somerville Road Runners and the Colonial Road Runners.

After our final runners on both of our teams came into the finish line we celebrated with a great team barbecue before hitting the road for the two hour ride back home. With a cup of coffee in hand and a maple cider donut in the gut the ride, all in all it was a nice day and a good experience to take part in the 2013 Fred Brown Lake Winnipesaukee Relay.