The Running Griffin

This weekend was a back-to-back race weekend with a 5K on Saturday morning followed by a 5 miler on Sunday. Temperatures were still chilly and raw with Spring not  yet hitting the New England region but it felt good to tackle two races both of a different variety and distance in one weekend.

On Saturday, it was off to Carver, Massachusetts for the Coyote Family Challenge 5K. The race started off nice and early at 9AM and funds raised from the race went to benefit the local school organization that sponsored the race. Runners made their way to the back of the school toward trails and the race director announced that all of the run would take place around cranberry bogs and on trails and paths surrounding the bogs.

The course conditions were less than ideal with some previous storms leaving the course both wet in spots and other spots covered with some branches. The race was mostly on trails or dirt aside from a small patch of running on roads inside the farm lot adjacent to the bogs. Running conditions were less than ideal and an awkward sort of double loop was a bit of a challenge in terms of motivation. I finished the race with a time of 25:42, good for 8:16/miles.

On Sunday, it was off to the Jamaica Plain section of Boston for Doyle’s Road Race. The race served as the April Grand Prix for the Thirsty Irish Runners and all proceeds from the race benefit Sister Jeanne’s Kids Fund and the Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums.

Doyle’s Road Race is a 5 mile course through Franklin Park and features a relatively hilly course completely within the grounds of Franklin Park aside from the final stretch into the finish line immediately outside of the historic Doyle’s. An added bonus to the race is that the Gaelic Column plays runners into the finish line and some local residents also form a drum circle up the road leading into the finish line. Nothing gets your legs pumping into the finish like some great tunes!

Doyle’s Road Race is a true Boston-style run with locals in the park cheering runners along, Boston politicians handing out water at the water stops and none other than Boston Mayor Marty Walsh handing out water at the finish line. Now, Mayor Walsh can claim the fame of having a selfie with The Running Griffin, too!

Finished Doyle’s Road Race with a time of 42:18, good for 8:27/miles for the five mile race. Nice to have a back-to-back race weekend completed once again and look forward to the next tackling of two races in one weekend!