The Groton Road Race is a small town race put on by the local Groton running club in Groton, Mass. I had volunteered at the event in years past, but was excited to finally be able to race it this year. There are a number of different race distances to choose from - Tots Trot, 2k, 5k, AND a 10k. This makes the event extremely family-friendly. I opted for the 10k.

The 10k went off 10 minutes before the 5k and started right on time. The police presence for this race is HUGE and makes this event feel like a bigger race than it really is. They shut down the center of Groton just before the start so you don't have to worry about safety at all. The course contains a number of rolling hills. Yes, you've got to struggle through the uphill sections, but that also means there were some nice downhill sections where you could really cruise. The course itself is also BEAUTIFUL. Groton is a lovely town and running along the country roads really allows you to soak it all in. There weren't a ton of aid stations, but it felt sufficient for the race length/temperature. I was also kind of surprised by the number of spectators along the course - some parts were quiet, but there was a lot of cheering in others, which was a really pleasant surprise, especially at the end when it was getting tough.

The only thing that is a little tricky about the course is that it rejoins the 5k course with just about a mile to go, which means that the speedier 10k runners catch up to the slower 5k participants. I thought they did a good job managing that this year though, keeping 10k runners to one side of the road and 5k on the other so that the 10kers didn't have to go crazy bobbing and weaving around those in the 5k.

The food at the finish line was great. Water, orange slices, bananas, bagels, and homemade cookies. DELICIOUS. :) For those looking for something a little more substantial (the race finishes just around lunch time), there are usually 2 food trucks - Jamaican Me Hungry and a cupcake truck. I think more races should have cupcakes at the finish.

Overall, it felt really well organized and was a super fun way to get some miles in on a beautiful spring weekend in New England. Definitely recommend!