35th Annual Frank Nealon Boston Tune-Up 15K

On April 5, 2015April 5, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Yesterday morning it was off to Upton, Massachusetts for the 35th Annual Frank Nealon Boston Tune-up 15K. This race is organized by the Tri-Valley Front Runners and is one of the few wheel-measured 15Ks available in the Greater Boston area leading up to the Boston Marathon. The race takes place on a very scenic and quite rolling, hilly course that is well marked and all on the pavement. The course support is great with miles marked and water stops along the way.

Runners get a commemorative soup mug instead of the usual tee-shirt and post-race there is a healthy spread of different soups and snacks available. The soup inside the school ran out quite fast this year and it seemed as though the amount of crock pots they had with different kinds of soups was far less than last year.

The race day temperatures were in the 40’s and the sun broke through just in time for the race to kickoff. The running conditions could not have been better and the day made for a great day of running.

Last year I had a nice run at this race and finished with a time of 1:18:53 for the 9.3 mile race so I was glad to see I beat last year’s time with a finish time of 1:17:30, shaving more than a minute off my time and running a pace of 8:10/miles which for this distance and hilly course I am quite pleased with. Next season, if you are looking for a course that is a good Boston Marathon warmup race or if you just want to push yourself up and down some good hills, be sure to keep an eye out for registration for the 36th Annual Frank Nealon Boston Tune-Up 15K.

Race Recap: Seagull Six

On March 29, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

This morning it was down to Cape Cod’s Wood’s Hole section of Falmouth for the Seagull Six Road Race. This race is put on by the Falmouth Track Club and is usually a huge showing for my running club as it tends to be one of our Grand Prix races. The course is a brutally hilly course with the entire first two miles consisting of a climb that is not for the faint of heart followed by a slight downhill and then some monster rolling hills. Even as you pass the Mile 5 sign you realize that you have just shy of 3/4 of a mile left to go (the race is 5.74 miles) but you know the climbing still is not done.

When arriving in Falmouth it was noticeably a couple degrees chillier than back home but the sun was shining bright and after the winter we have had here in New England running outside is an absolute joy right about now. I felt pretty strong for most of the race and the hills didn’t seem to bother me too much this weekend; perhaps coming off of a half-marathon and Holyoke’s St. Patrick’s Road Race‘s hilly course was a good thing.

Though I have run a better Seagull Six in the past, today’s race I can’t be too upset with as I ran strong and had a good time out on the course. I finished today’s Seagull Six with a time of 46:36, good for 8:07/miles.

Join The Running Griffin at the 2015 Bourbon Derby!

On February 20, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Join The Running Griffin this June in Paris, Kentucky for the 2015 Bourbon Derby! The race takes place on June 13th and I am looking forward to running my first race in Kentucky. The Bourbon Derby features a half-marathon, a ten miler and a 4 mile road race option making it the perfect race for runners of all abilities. I will be running in the half-marathon and encourage you to come and join me!

Runners will be a part of our unique course traveling through three beautiful horse farms, Whispering Oaks, Adena Springs, Hillcroft, and Bluegrass countryside. This one-of-a-kind race experience has scenes to behold, with a challenging but fair paved course throughout whole course route. Runners will travel along on three main roads, Glenn, Jackstown, and Tarr Road on which the three farms are located on that runners will turn off and proceed through for periods of the miles before returning back onto the main roads.

The Bourbon Derby was created as one of the annual fundraisers for the Thoroughbred Breeders Museum a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. This race gives runners something no other race does: more than just running by prestigious horse farms, they actually get the chance to run through these usually private gems.

The race offers some top-notch amenities such as:

Registrants will receive commemorative Dry- Fit technical tee
Finishers’ medals
One of the kind overall and age group awards
8 hydration stations serving water, and SWORD Hydration
13 available locations for bathroom stops

Definitely register now to lock in at a very reasonable $50 price for the half-marathon before the price goes up on March 2nd.

For more information about the 2015 Bourbon Derby, check out their website by clicking here. You can also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.

I look forward to having you join me in Kentucky in June for the 2015 Bourbon Derby. See you there!

The Running Griffin Welcomed to the Honey Stinger Hive

On February 15, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

The Running Griffin is excited to join the Honey Stinger Hive for the 2015 running year! Thanks to Honey Stinger for sponsoring The Running Griffin; looking forward to a solid year of running ahead!

Located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Honey Stinger makes nutritious and great tasting honey-based foods including energy bars, protein bars, energy gels, organic waffles, organic chews, kids specific snacks and our very own Organic Wildflower Honey. Fueling more than just the country’s top cyclists, runners, triathletes and teams, Honey Stinger products may be found at specialty sporting goods retailers, natural food grocers and honeystinger.com.

> Honey is rich in carbohydrates, making it ideal fuel for working muscles.
> Before exercise: When eaten before activity, it is released into the system at a steady rate throughout the activity.
> During exercise: Helps muscles stay nourished longer, delays fatigue.
> After exercise: Research shows ingesting a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise refuels and decreases muscle soreness.

As a runner, we all need the right fuel to help us keep an active lifestyle and the Honey Stinger line is some of the best stuff around. The Honey Stinger Organic Waffles are a great snack to take on the go with you and are the only organic snack waffles available on the market.

Honey Stinger offers a complete line of products including the waffles, energy bars, protein bars, gel packs and even raw honey. Regardless of what your energy of choice is, Honey Stinger has the right fuel for you and their products offer runners healthy, organic options that will fit your running dietary plans.

For more information about Honey Stinger, be sure to check out their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

TR Performance & Fitness

On January 21, 2014 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

If you are a runner in the Brooklyn, New York area you must check out our friends at TR Performance & Fitness to help you train for your next race.

Whether you are just starting to work out or are training for your third Ironman, TR Performance & Fitness can help you reach your goals. They specialize in creating flexible programs that cater to your busy life. Founded by Tom Reynolds who has worked with some of the best athletes in the nation, TR Performance & Fitness will create a plan that overcomes the biggest hurdle in any training goal: life. Your life is constantly changing, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your fitness goals.

Proper goal setting, Needs Analysis, and Body/Movement Assessments, are a few tools that provides Tom the information he needs to build your program. This is the foundation for a specific and individualized program tailored to you. With his education, professional experience, and nationally recognized certifications, Tom has the expertise to assist you in attaining your goals.

So if you are in need of a trainer and are located in the Brooklyn area, please check out TR Performance & Fitness and your fitness goals will be right around the corner!