Same Time, Next Year
By: Judy Phillips
....Or, Virtual Challenge Accepted!
July is a very big racing month for us. We typically do 2 per weekend, and the last week I try to find as many races as possible when we’re off celebrating our anniversary.
Summer racing really opens up this month, beginning with the large number of Independence Day races from which to choose. We love the Four on the 4th in York, Maine, but have also enjoyed the John Langhans Green Miles Road Race in Woodstock. The latter is a beautiful, challenging seven mile course, with which I’m sure many in the Club are familiar, as well as the Red, White & Blue 6.2 in Lebanon.
Here are some other races to consider for next year:
7/18 Stratham Fair Road Race - Stratham, NH
This race has been 5.7 miles - I loved the odd distance - but this year the Race Director notified us after we registered that they were switching to a 10k, before they were forced to cancel. The organizers are exceptionally responsive to entrants. The course covers some beautiful neighborhoods and there is a nice hill as you head to the finish. You can stick around after and enjoy the country fair.
7/25 Peaks Island Road Race - Peaks Island, ME
My husband’s first race, and it often falls on our anniversary, so this one has sentimental value. Peaks is an island off Portland, and you ferry over. The course is beautiful, the first mile along the ocean with stunning views of the rocky shores. The scent of beach roses is lovely as you move along the course, into neighborhoods. There are some hills in this five mile race. You can sign up for lunch for an additional fee afterwards or bring a cooler for a family picnic. The Lions Club offers an array of hearty options, including grilled steaks and chicken, a lobster boil and pasta as a vegetarian option. There are a few other lunch spots as you make your way to the ferry for the return to the mainland, as well as many excellent restaurants in Portland.
7/26 Swan Island 10k & 5k - Swan Island, ME
This will be a new one for us this year (I spoke to the Race Director: the race is on as of this date). It will be the fourth year it’s held, and has changed distances, starting as a 5k, then adding the 10k option. It attracts a smaller field. Swan Island is a wildlife refuge accessible by canoe, kayak or ferry from the Richmond dock, across the Kennebec River. Richmond is approximately a 40 minute drive from Portland. The Island is 4 miles long, consisting of a gravel road and nature trails. Camping is permitted but not vehicles. According to the Race Director, the course has modest hills.
7/28 Yankee Homecoming Road Race - Newburyport, MA (10 mile and 5k option)
This is a big race and can be daunting if you are used to smaller fields. You run through neighborhoods and a downtown section in the quaint, historic town. The ten miler starts slightly after the 5k, and those runners are quite competitive and it’s a bit of a challenge dodging elbows during the merge. There’s a nice hill about a third of a mile before the finish. I’m really partial to evening races, and there are lots of choices during the summer.
Run NH Challenge
I’m in the midst of a big virtual race, so I’ve resisted all the offers to do scheduled races virtually so far....until this challenge. We love Millennium Running, as you’ve most likely gathered from my previous articles. This is an interesting challenge, and an opportunity to get creative running around NH and the border states. Plus I admit I was attracted by the bling!
