The Peeper 5K Run is a beloved race in the small town of Barrington, New Hampshire. The race is organized and sponsored by the Greater Barrington Chamber of Commerce. For the past twenty years, this race has been run on the first Saturday of May. The Peeper 5K has the convenience of a small town race, and the benefits of a big-time road racing event.

Parking/Facilities/Registration: Parking was close and convenient at the nearby Barrington Elementary School. The registration tables and porta-potties were behind the Post Office in a nice green space. The walk from the school to the race area was less than a quarter mile. The registration process went smoothly and personal gift bags were given to each pre-registered runner. In the swag bag, runners could find local coupons, pens and pencils, and a colorful cotton race t-shirt. My only suggestion would be to staff the heavily used pre-registration table with a few more people to speed up the process.

Race Course: The race course was a gently rolling “out and back” affair. Runners turned around at 1.5 miles and saw the faces of the runners behind them. This led to lots of cheering and encouragement. We stayed on one road the entire way, and volunteers were present at every intersection to keep us moving in the right direction. Traffic was stopped, and we had the road all to ourselves! What a great feeling to run without worrying about vehicular traffic. This course is ideal for fast race times.

Refreshments: Runners were treated to some spectacular refreshments. Fresh and oh-so-delicious bakery donuts from Stonehouse Baking Company, bananas, oranges, bagels and cream cheese, homemade cookies and granola bars. Juice, water and Gatorade sat chilling in buckets of ice for the thirsty crowd.

Awards and Results: Cash prizes were awarded to the first three men and women as well as the first Masters man and woman. Age group medals were handed out to runners three deep in each age group along with assorted gifts. The results were ready quickly and posted on the registration table. Minutes after leaving the awards ceremony, my phone chimed as my personal results arrived via email.

Overall Experience: Fantastic. So far, this is my favorite NH road race of the 2014 season. I can see why this race has lasted for two decades and counting. I’m truly amazed the secret hasn’t spread. Well, it’s out there now… Definitely add this fast 5K to your calendar in May 2015.

Originally posted at: http://saltmarshrunning.com/2014/05/03/2014-peeper-5k/
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