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.

Race Recap: Hip Hop 10k

On August 22, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

This morning it was over to Easton, Massachusetts to take part in the Hip Hop 10k. This race is a Family Friendly 5K/10K run and 2 mile walk in support of Hip Dysplasia awareness and fundraising. The 10k race kicked off at 9AM which was a nice relief given the humidity at that time was pretty bad and going later into the day has already made it even more sticky. When crossing the finish line I was sweating more than an Ashley Madison account holder!

The 10k race course was a nice challenging run with some rather significant hills mixed into the route. Volunteers did an excellent job directing runners on the course and alerting traffic as to our presence. The much needed water stations on the course provided good relief and were mixed into the race at good times. The course takes runners through rather residential neighborhoods and started and finished at Oliver Ames High School in Easton. A lot of the course was quite similar to the Tiger Turkey Chase I have taken raced in the past.

As you are in the final mile there is a nice uphill climb that really pushes you not slow down before runners intersect with the 5k course and head back toward the high school for the finish line. While coming into the finish there was a band playing some great cover songs and plenty of spectators cheering you into the finish. The race directors did a really nice job organizing the race and there was plenty of water and food to partake in prior to leaving. Several raffles with some big prizes were available inside the cafeteria of the school and vendors setup at the finish line offered samples, massage, chiropractic and more.

I finished the Hip Hop 10k with a time of 51:16 good for a finish pace of 8:15/mile. With the humidity in full effect coupled with some tough quad pain I inflicted upon myself earlier this week playing indoor soccer a good showing at today’s run.

For more information about the work the Hip Hop 10k supports, check out their website here and be sure to “Like” the race on Facebook so you can plan on running this race next year.

RHS Dog Dash 2015

On July 29, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Registration is now open for the RHS Dog Dash 2015, a 5K race to support the Rockland High School Hockey Team in Rockland, Massachusetts. The race takes place on August 22nd at 9AM and is a great way to get an early morning summer run in and beat the midday heat all while supporting a great cause.

High school athletics is always a great mission to support as the importance of balancing education with extra-curricular activities is something that every student should have the opportunity to participate in. Though my hockey career was always of the street hockey variety, building the foundations of teamwork, discipline and cooperation on the ice are something we all can support.

T-Shirts are guaranteed for all participants that register onine. Awards for overall winners will be provided and there will be raffles to partake in race day, as well!

Top register for the RHS Dog Dash 2015, please click here. Hope to see a lot of runners at the RHS Dog Dash 5K supporting Rockland Hockey!

Register Today for the Roller Coaster Race at Six Flags New England

On July 24, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Join The Running Griffin at the Roller Coaster Race to be held at Six Flags New England just outside of Springfield, Massachusetts on Sunday, September 6th. For less than the cost of a theme park ticket, you can run either the 10k or 5k race and spend the day at Six Flags New England after the race!

The Roller Coaster race registration includes a park ticket and parking along with the race entry and all runners will receive a tech shirt and a finisher medal at the end of the race. The races kick off nice and early at 7:30 AM so you can make a nice day out of running and enjoying an amazing theme park. Runners will tackle a USATF-sanctioned scenic course through Six Flags New England and around and under some of their world famous coasters. Post-race refreshments and award ceremony follow the races.

To register for the race, please click here and be sure to note during the registration process when asked how you heard about the race that you saw it on The Running Griffin!

Please be sure to also check out the Roller Coaster Race’s Facebook page by clicking here and follow them on Twitter by clicking here.