Take a Hint. The Inaugural PUMA 5 Miler kicked ass.

What started out as another humid day ended in celebration and excitement. The PUMA 5 miler in Westford, MA was set to kick off at 5pm as all of the 700 participants anxiously went through their pre-race routines, strategy plans, and superstitious rituals. The heat bore down but we were lucky enough to have plenty of Hint water on hand. I've recently become a huge fan of this refreshing beverage and will say that if you've never taken a Hint, then you're missing out. There was a great crew representing TMIRCE at the race, some who ran and some who were along in support, others were there for the post race beers and bbq - all exceptionally executed by the crew from the Harpoon Brewery - thanks for all the free beer! I'm looking forward to the 11th annual Octoberfest in Windsor, VT.

The race itself was executed with precision by Director, Greg Haskell of PUMA. The course was something out of James Taylor's, "Country Road."

Rolling hills and winding streets made for an eventful run with plenty of strategy to consider. With the final turn in sight and the inflated PUMA finish line within reach, I found my kick - thanks to track workouts - and was able to finish with a respectable time, one full minute after the woman's 1st place finisher, Amanda Walsh.

TMIRCE'ers sprinkled in one by one until eventually, we were gathered at maximum around a tabletop guzzling Harpoon and chasing it with Hint. This was a truly successful event and one I would certainly participate in again. It's difficult organizing every aspect of road races, while bumps and bruises along the way can teach valuable lessons such as, number of water stations/volunteers, porto-potties, etc. Great job PUMA at bringing together a proud community of runners and making us feel at home. - Chime in - Why would or wouldn't you run this race again? 

Blues and Running: The two best clubs in Boston heating up

Put some south in yer mouth yall.

Wednesday night, I made my way into the heart of Brighton to find some respite from the oppressive heat and humidity. The plan was to grab a bite at one of my favorite local BBQ pits, Smoken' Joe's BBQ. While I found a nice air-conditioned restaurant, Pianist, Alizon Lissance and special guests made sure that they kept the place hot with some great southern blues. I felt like I was in the heart of Cackalacky as the tomato base was flowing and the pulled pork was 'smoken.' Get there early on a weeknight for some great food and music. Joe's  selection of west coast beers, while limited, really highlights the BBQ/Blues joints' attention to southern detail. Joe himself (a self-made BBQ expert with more then 20 years experience) is usually around to serve your drinks. And if you're lucky enough, he'll sit down at your table and educated you about some of the greatest jazz and blues musicians you've never heard of.

Best run ever.

TMIRCE Saturday's at City Sports have been equally hot, both in attendance and temperature - more so the temperature. The dog days of August have settled in. The past few weekends running have been hot, but also humid. TMIRCE'ers have been coming in the door with a good pre-sweat. I tend to have difficulty maintaining speed and endurance in the heat - not to mention my body also seems to breakdown faster and recovery takes longer. Be heard - What are 3 things you do to train and recover in the heat? - Best answer will be the topic of my next post. The run was the best ever as is tradition but the table of healthy snacks and goodies surpassed my weekly expectations. The stand out items of the week, Ginger donuts, were baked by TMIRCE baking veteran, Diana.


I'm hopeful 8/20's TMIRCE - pre Puma 5 Miler at 5pm - in response to this post, will have some pulled brisket, coleslaw, and corn bread for the post run festivities.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.

PUMA with a Hint of rain

I can take a Hint - to re-hydrate that is.

Last night, PUMA of Newbury St. hosted their first, of what I hope to be many, group runs. I had responded on Facebook along with 90 or so other respondees but was unsure of how many would sneak out of their offices and homes to run. Upon entering the store, runners were greeted kindly by the enthusiastic Greg Haskell, who handed out PUMA gift-cards, PUMA 5 Miler discount cards, and directed us to the Hint bucket. My favorite is the Mango Grapefruit.

The running route was familiar as it took us across the Harvard Bridge (Mass Ave.) and around the Museum of Science for a total of 4.5 miles. Running with some local Bostonian elites including Martin Potter of cheekyrunnning and winner of the Reggae Ramble, Chris Wagner, motivated us to hold a 7:36 pace. The rain held off just long enough to make the run enjoyable.

Post race beers at Octoberfest.

Harpoon also stepped up in supporting a great after run shindig at Lir on Boylston St. They were handing out drink tickets, pizza, and sandwiches. According to local running legend Kaipo Henning, Harpoon was very generous. They also happen to sponsor one of my favorite events of the year, the Octoberfest Road Race - Registration opens 8/19 and it will sell out.

Want to run with Informal Running? Then get off your booty and join:
~

The Most Informal Running Club Ever
we're even on Facebook too.