This 5 or 10 mile race takes place on Father's Day each year and is a fundraiser for MyTeam Triumph, which is a ride-along program that allows people who would not otherwise be able to experience events like this to ride along, Team Hoyt style. I will be honest, I don't always know what my registration fees benefit and race for the joy of racing, but knowing I am supporting a cause like this makes me want to come back again and again.

This expo and start/finish of this race take place at Warhead Crossing in Wareham, MA. My GPS kept trying to take me to Walmart down the street, but otherwise this is really easy to get to and there is plenty of parking close by. If you bring a friend to see you at the finish, they can wander around Target or any other number of stores while they wait.

This race is put on by South Shore Race Management and I have done several of their races. It's nice to see familiar faces and get that community feel. Bib pick up was a little crowded before the race for a race of this size, but no big deal. The race director was out and helping pass out bibs and trying to get the line to flow as quickly as possible. The one negative comment I have about this race is that there were 3 port potties. 171 finishers. 3 potties. I don't know what the runner to potty ratio should be, but the line was way long and I imagine it's very possible some people either didn't get a chance to go before race start or started late, but this is chip timed so whatever you gotta do, I guess.

The 5 and 10 mile races start at 9am with the 10 milers a few blocks ahead. If you are fast, this could be an issue, because you take off in the lead and then run into the rear of another race with walkers etc. However, this was little problem this year. The 10-milers were over to the right and left plenty of space to pass. It didn't allow for running the tangents, but no big deal. We're all in it together and it's possible to get around anyway. The good side of this is that if you're a competitive type, you lose sight of who is in your race for a bit and maybe feel inspired to get ahead of the 10-milers, giving you a little extra speed until you figure it out.

The course is through a residential neighborhood, mostly shady and light rolling hills. Not really any crowd support, but there is a good mood among the runners cheering for each other. The course splits probably around the 2.5 to 3 mile area with 5-milers taking it back in and the 10-milers going wherever they go. For the 5-milers there is one water stop and you will pass it twice.

You will finish back at Wareham Crossing for live music and a meal, which is hamburgers I think. There are no vegetarian options, so I did not partake. For me that's no problem as I'm never hungry after a race anyway and there are plenty of places to eat around there if you really wanted something different.

Awards are passed out. This year winners were given flasks and a certificate. Winners get 50% off the next year's race entry.

The best, surprising thing about this race is the swag. This race is sponsored by New Balance, so runner's receive a NB tech shirt as well as a glass and a medal. For a race of this size and cost, that's pretty great. The medal is pretty cute too.

So first a little history lesson, because if you're like me and you know there is a parade attached to this race and people are dressed colonial-style, you may find yourself wondering, "What is the deal with Gaspee anyway?" So, according to Wikipedia...

"The Gaspee Affair was a significant event in the lead-up to the American Revolution. HMS Gaspee, a British customs schooner that had been engaged in anti-smuggling operations, ran aground in shallow water on June 9, 1772, near what is now known as Gaspee Point in the city of Warwick, Rhode Island, while chasing the packet boat Hannah. A group of men led by Abraham Whipple and John Brown attacked, boarded, looted, and torched the ship."

Apparently, in RI we celebrate this event with a race and a parade each year. If you're into history, you can find all of that information on their website which provides a ton of information. This race has been taking place before the parade for 51 years at the running of the last one, so they have this down pretty well.

I picked up my bib on the morning of the race. On their website, parking in the neighborhood away from the parade course was suggested so runners are able to leave after the race, because they smell and aren't dressed colonially for the festivities typically. Just kidding, we are encouraged to stay and leave when we want. We arrived about an hour and a half before the start and parked in the lot right next to bib pick up. One of the organizers told us how to get out and avoid the parade, if we needed to.

We got long sleeve soft shirts and our bibs and there were a few stands around. This race is also a qualifier for the Senior Olympics, so they had some information on that, our local running store was present and had brought their beginning running group to run their first 5k. The field is pretty big for a local 5k and the competition can be fierce.

The starting line is a few blocks away and we walked down there. The organizers do their best to keep the fast people on the starting line, but if you're planning to be fast, be early and get up there. This race has a lot of kids and as you may know, kids love to be first on the line, and potentially be in your way after about 100 yards after the gun goes off. There are also a lot of first timers who don't really get the order of things, so rather than be a jerk, just line up as soon as you can and hold firm rather than elbow yourself into place.

The course is an out and back and through a residential neighborhood. It's pretty, relatively shady and one kind person at the halfway mark hung their garden hose in a tree over the street so we could run through it. I love you, whomever you are! The course is hillier than I would like in a 5k, so not the fastest. The energy is amazing, because it takes place right before the parade so the streets are lined with people cheering you on. Great crowd support!

There is lots of food and beer at the end. We had free frozen lemonade (a Rhode Island summer staple) and potato chips. The results area was very cool. Tablets in a circle and a computer system read names and times out loud. There was also this cool finish line timer that allowed you to type in your bib number and it would display your name and time for a photo op (See below). The winners get money and there are prizes for overall winners, age groups and local runners.

Really great 5k! I strongly recommend this one.

This 10-miler is one of the most popular races in Rhode Island. It is held in June in Newport each year and usually sells out, so register quick. It draws everyone from really fast and competitive racers to walkers.

The race is held on the grounds of Ft. Adams, a really pretty place with ocean views and the old fort structure. Rhode Island this time of year on the beach is not too hot generally, although this is New England, so anything is possible. Today it was in the low 60's for the race, so not bad at all for a summer race.

Parking is okay. The start and finish are close and there is lots of parking on the base. However, the first people to arrive park in the furthest lot and parking gets closer as each lot fills up. It is suggested that you arrive early to get a spot and carpool if you can. We arrived an hour and a half early and parked in the furthest/first lot. It was almost a mile walk to the expo (you can pick up your bib Friday, Saturday or morning of the race), which is good if you want to warm up your legs, but not great if you're pressed for time.

Bib pick up was outside and smooth and easy. T-shirts are cute and appropriately sized. If you're a small female, don't worry that they don't carry an extra small. You'll be fine as shirts are gender specific and decent fit. We also got some seltzer water, protein powder, vitamin sample and a glass. There are finisher medals at the end.

This year, runners went out in waves with anyone who can run sub 9-minute miles going out first. Then other runners second and walkers last. This course is very similar to the first half of the Newport Marathon/Half marathon and has many of the same miles. I forgot until today how HILLY this course is! I was working on a 10-mile PR (got it) and almost cried a couple of times when I saw more hills looming. Be hill ready when you do this race!

The course is really gorgeous. You will run along Ocean Drive and some of the most beautiful mansions in the state in one of our best neighborhoods. You'll catch a nice ocean breeze. There are aid stations every couple of miles with water and gatorade.

Crowd support is okay, probably depending on the weather. Newport is a beautiful and touristy town so it's great to be standing around outside spectating. Although today was colder and a little rainy, I found several kids with free high fives, which is always so helpful for making me pick up the pace and forget how much I am suffering.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the finish line is not where it seems. As you are running back into Ft. Adams, and see the crowds just past the start, you might be feeling pretty done and it will look like you are done. But alas, you are not, the finish line isn't really there, so don't start sprinting it in yet. The course circles around, carrying you back into the center of the fort, which is pretty amazing, assuming you're not screaming to stop running at this point.

Medals are pretty good. Food at the end this year was fruit and candy, but if you're over 21, you also get free beer! Top finishers receive trophies and age groupers get plaques with photos of Newport on them. Everyone is excited and the atmosphere is great at the finish.

I strongly recommend this 10 mile race!

P.S. Photo stolen from their Facebook page.

We stumbled upon this race while visiting the Nike Outlet during our trip for the Salomon Pineland Farms Trail Running Festival. The cost was $10 and we got a nice soft Nike shirt and a water bottle, which is already worth the cost.

As the name indicates, this race is held on Memorial Day, before the parade, which was cancelled in 2016 due to the rain. The race, however, was not cancelled and we had a nice small group of mostly kids, but people of all ages. I'm giving this one-miler four stars overall, because the course is not quite flat and that makes a big difference in a race this short. It also has turns. Ideally, it would be one mile down Main Street, straight and flat.

There were no aid stations, because it is only one mile, but we received a water and banana at the finish. This race goes around a block and in a bit of a parking lot. Parking is in the LL Bean lot or vicinity and easy access to everything.

As the race drew a small crowd, there is a good opportunity to win and the prizes are pretty good. Kids and overall winners get trophies and age groupers get medals and/or Nike gift cards. I won the Master's Division and got a good quality medal and $10 Nike gift card, so basically, this race was totally free and I got a shirt, water bottle and a medal.

I like to test my mile time every now and then and one milers are hard to find. This one is worth the investment. Small, but accurately timed and good swag for the cost.

I did this race last year and chose to do it again this year in attempt to qualify for Boston by a bigger margin. I chose Sugarloaf, because it's a point to point direct course with no twists and turns. It has a little uphill and a lot of downhill. It's within driving distance. The temperatures are perfect there this time of year. And it's a pretty small playing field as far as qualifiers go.

As soon as the weather began to appear in the 15 day forecast, I was all over it, everyday, sometimes multiple times (you know you've done it) and kinda freaking out a little. Sometimes it showed thunderstorms, sometimes more rain and sometimes less, but always some sort of weather event. I've run in the rain during training and enjoyed it, but never in a race and never for more than 26 miles. I was scared. I worked way too hard to not PR because of hypothermia or wet feet and a blister.

We arrived Saturday afternoon in time to receive our bibs and shirts. The line was loooooong and probably took us 30 minutes or more, but Maple Water was passed around and I tried that for the first time, which was good. We also signed up for the pasta dinner (first time doing that) and I recommend it. Pasta dinners often cost more than going to your local Olive Garden, but for Sugarloaf, it is a particularly good idea, because there is no local Olive Garden or really much of anything close by and it's all you can eat and delicious. There was also beet salad, chick pea salad and cooked veggies to add to your pasta or side as well as yummy dessert. There's also meat sauce if you're into that sort of gross stuff. The speaker was Gary Allen and he showed us a video of his friend Michael Westpahl who qualified for Boston and raised a lot of money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Michael Westpahl has Parkinson's Disease and the documentary was inspiring.

We stayed in a motel about 30 minutes from the finish and parking area and I slept as well as I could considering I needed to pee every hour due to hydrating the bejesus out of myself all day Saturday. The morning car ride to the buses from the finish to the start was foggy, rainy and included flashes of lightening. We took the bus up from the finish line which follows the course up to the start. This is mentally tough, because you realize the epicness of what is about to happen. In 2015 the starting area was AMAZING, fog rolling over a small lake with the sun just coming up and filtered through the pine trees. It wasn't so beautiful this year, because it was POURING! No gorgeous photos of the starting line. We found an indoor bathroom a little up the road and hid from the rain in there until it was time to start.

It did dump on us for a bit during the race, but the temperatures were around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so it actually felt pretty comfortable. I wore shorts, compression socks, a singlet and arm warmers and didn't feel annoyed or need to adjust anything throughout the race. I also wore a visor to keep the rain out of my eyes and this gave me something to think about with my form. I knew if I was seeing much ahead of myself, I was craning my neck, bringing my hips forward and breaking with my heels. I kept my head down and leaned into much of the race not knowing what was ahead. I told myself not to look at my watch or the hills when it got tough and nailed my pace on the downhill. Days before I began to plan what I would think about throughout the race to keep me inspired and my mind off any discomfort I might feel. I added Michael Westpahl to my list.

Crowd support is really good for a race of this size, because half of the road is open, so spectators can drive along the road and catch racers at several points. The course is really pretty. On the downside of the course is that the roads are pretty concaved so keep in mind you'll be running with one leg longer than the other for a long time if you're prone to injuries. I recommend staying on the center line or sticking to the far edge where it's flatter.

There are aid stations all over the place with water and gatorade and one or two with gels, which I don't take anyway, so I can't comment on that part.

The finish line has a truck with a big screen and finish times scrolling. There is homemade soup and granola, so the food is great and not the regular banana and cold pizza.

The bling is eh, but who cares when you get to run a fast marathon, PR and maybe qualify for Boston like I did! I won first in my age group and qualified with a very safe 11+ minute cushion. The top overall finishers get MONEY and the age group finishers get awesome handmade ceramic stuff, depending on your place.