Monday Night Fun Runs are Back!

On May 8, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

The Colonial Road Runners do a nice job putting on a weekly race series Monday nights in Raynham, Massachusetts and the event has grown nicely over the past few years. Each Monday night runners take to a 3.25 mile course in Raynham that for a timed fun run that allows you to compete against a lot of the same faces each week but also against your own times from previous runs.

The race costs just $2 and includes water and Gatorade after the race along with official run times posted on CoolRunning after the race. The course is a good 3.25 mile stretch that includes a decent size hill just past the two mile mark before you come to a steep downhill heading toward the mile 3 marker. The series is one of the best running bargains you will find and is something that for either seasoned runners or for new runners alike is a great way to ensure once a week you are tackling a run that is challenging and fun.

For this week’s run, I finished with a time of 23:52, good for 7:20/miles. Not a bad way to start off the Monday night series!

Blackstone Valley Half Marathon

On April 27, 2015April 27, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Yesterday morning it was off to Pawtucket, Rhode Island to compete in the Blackstone Valley Half Marathon. The race kicked off bright and early at 8AM in downtown Pawtucket and this was my first time competing in this half marathon event. The race also features a 5K option that started after the half marathoners made their way out onto the course.

The race was reasonably priced and featured a nice technical running shirt, a pair of Asics socks and a rather flashy finisher medal. Couple those amenities with a course that was a scenic and challenging course complete with plenty of on-course support and this half-marathon is certainly one that I would gladly recommend runners look into racing next year. The half marathon course had 11 aide stations on the course featuring water, Gatorade and Gu (Mile 6) and the race volunteers and members of the Pawtucket, Central Falls and Lincoln Police Departments did a great job supporting the race course.

As runners made their way out of downtown Pawtucket a series of small rolling hills were mixed into the first half of the race. Most of this section of the race was competed in residential and business roads but the best stretch of the race was as runners made their way into the Blackstone Valley Bikeway, which is an absolutely beautiful stretch of paved paths alongside the Blackstone River. This path is some of the best running scenery around and the natural beauty made the run all the more enjoyable.

After leaving the Bikeway section of the race, runners made the final 5k course back along the roads and headed back toward downtown Pawtucket for the finish line. The finish line had a healthy amount of fans cheering you into the finish line and a DJ who was playing all the most catchy running-themed finish line tunes.

I finished the Blackstone Valley Half Marathon with a time of 1:51:49 which was good for 8:32/miles. This was almost five minutes faster than my last half marathon in Washington, DC. and shows some nice improvement over the running year already!

Raynham Knights of Columbus 5 Miler

On April 20, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Yesterday morning it was just a skip to the town next door for the Raynham Knights of Columbus 5 Miler in Raynham, Massachusetts. The race was postponed a couple of weeks due to the rough winter snow we faced in New England in February into March but the snow was just a mere memory on what was an absolutely beautiful running morning with temperatures very comfortable and a rather good head wind to content with on each turn.

The course is a 5 mile loop and was changed a bit from previous years as the starting line was moved to a different spot on the course which meant the King Phillip hill was at the start of the course rather than toward the finish line. I ran the course really well and felt good heading up the big hill and throughout the streets of Raynham. The course had a couple rolling hills mixed in and a healthy amount of rather flat running to allow for some speed maintenance throughout the race.

I finished the Raynham Knights of Columbus Five Miler with a time of 37:53, good for a nice pace of 7:34/mile. After the race I was also awarded second place in my age bracket so not a bad morning of running!

Register for Trav’s Trail Run

On April 14, 2015 By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

Registration is now open for Trav’s Trail Run which will be held on May 17, 2015 in Newburyport, Massachusetts.

All race profits from this race will help fund scholarships for scholar/athletes at: Newburyport High School, Green Mountain Running Camp, RRCA Road Scholars and Zap Fitness. This race is dedicated to Travis Landreth, (May 24, 1976 – January 12, 2001) who was a Newburyport native and 1994 Newburyport High School graduate and runner.

The race is a three mile cross country race in Maudslay State Park and the fact that the race supports young runners help realize their dreams is a cause all runners can get behind and support.

The race has great trail mugs that are awarded to age division winners and features a huge post-race raffle for all runners.

To register for the race, please click here to register online. You can also “Like” the race on Facebook by clicking here.

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.