Race Review: Bradford 5K Road Race

Bradford 5K
Bradford, NH
July 7, 2013
Race Site Link
                                                                                Overall Racing Experience: 3/5

The Bradford 5K is another nice small town road race.

Parking/Facilities/Registration: The parking situation is not very good. Runners must find parking spots on the streets which are already packed with church fair patrons, townspeople, and other runners, most of which also need a place to park their vehicles. The registration table was easy to spot outside the town hall building in the center of town. There was one porta potty locate behind the same building for runners to use. Needless to say, this caused a long line to form prior to the race start.  Score 0/1

Race Course: The course starts in the road just feet away from the registration area. After crossing an intersection it begins a long climb for the first mile of the race. This is followed by a long gradual decent during mile two. Mile three runs along a busy highway and is fully exposed to the sun which happened to be incredibly hot on the day of the race. I like the challenge of the hills, but not the traffic hazards and monotony of running along a highway. There was a water stop at the halfway point, and thankfully a couple of homeowners connected their garden hoses and sprayed down runners who wanted some relief from the heat. Score 0/1

Refreshments: Runners could find orange slices, bananas, watermelon, and water at the refreshment table.  Score 1/1

Awards and Results: The age group awards were very generous- especially for the younger runners who had age group increments of only 5 years. Medals were awarded to the top three in gold, silver and bronze. The medals were also inscribed with the race name, place and category. I think that is a nice touch that does not go unnoticed. There were may awards for local residents and students as well. Score 1/1

Overall Experience: The Bradford 5K is what I consider an old school town road race. If you are looking for a laid back summer season race, some surprising out of town competition, and a good test of your conditioning, look no further. Score 1/1

Race Results

Race Score: 3/5

Race Review: Chicken Farmer 5K

Chicken Farmer 5K
Newbury, NH
June 15, 2013
Race Site Link
Overall Racing Experience: 2/5


The Chicken Farmer 5K is a nice small town road race. It runs through the center of the lakeside town of Newbury, NH.

Parking/Facilities/Registration: Parking is very convenient located just behind the town hall offices. Registration is inside the town hall, and real bathrooms are available for runners. Registration was very quick and the t-shirts are a definitely unique. Score 1/1

Race Course: The course is basically up a huge hill, off on a side spur, and back down the same hil again. Traffic runs alongside the runners and this can make it difficult for those that turn around and compete for space on the side of the road with those participants still coming up the hill. The water is close by, but out of sight most of the way. There was a friendly volunteer at the water station just past mile 1. Score 0/1

Refreshments: There was water at the finish line area as well as some orange slices. Participants were encouraged to eat across the street at Bubba's after the race. Score 0/1

Awards and Results: There were some finishers medals for those who placed in their age groups. However, the results did not take place until long after the last finisher came in causing many runners to grumble. For a small race, the awards should have been ready much faster. Score 0/1

Overall Experience:  I liked the small town feel of the race, but it lacked many of the nice race experience features that I have come to appreciate. Good food and quick results are really appreciated. As are generous awards and an interesting race course. Score 1/1

Race Results

Race Score: 2/5

Race Review: 24th Annual Evelyn's Run for the Roses 5K and Men's Run for the Women

24th Annual Evelyn's Run for the Roses 5K and Men's Run for the Women
Salisbury, MA
May 18, 2013
Race Site Link
Overall Racing Experience: 4/5

Evelyn's Run for the Roses 5K is a race put on for runners, by runners. The Winner's Circle Running Club manages the race with enthusiasm and good cheer. What makes this event really special is the chase format. The girls are given a 3 minute head start on the guys. It makes for some creative competition and some really inspired running!

Parking/Facilities/Registration: Parking is plentiful and located very close to the start. Porta potties were located in the parking lot of the Winner's Circle establishment and registration was out front. I never found myself waiting in line for more than a minute. Registration was efficient and there were plenty of very pleasant volunteers on hand. Score 1/1

Race Course: The course was a little boring. It was a loop, so that was interesting in the sense that you covered the same ground and knew how to prepare for the final push to the finish line. But, the course was on wide open roads with traffic buzzing by just feet away in both directions. At one point the race went through an industrial park.  Score 0/1

Refreshments: Post race refreshments consisted of beer, popcorn, water, sports drinks, and oranges. The Traveler Beer Company provided the refreshments. Plenty of food was available for everyone. Score 1/1

Awards and Results: The awards ceremony was entertaining and very generously subsidized with raffle giveaways to participants. I think it may be one of the best races I've been to in terms of recognizing the runners and making everyone feel good about their efforts. Guys and girls are mixed recipients in every category with guys carrying 3 minutes. Score 1/1

Overall Experience: I really enjoyed the race event and I will be sure to put this on my race calendar for next year as well. The chase format, the excellent race management, friendly volunteers, and generous awards will continue to make this a great race. Score 1/1

Race Results

Race Score: 4/5

Race Review: Newburyport Spring Fever 5K

Spring Fever 5K
Newburyport, MA
May 4, 2013
Race Site Link
Overall Racing Experience: 3/5

The Spring Fever 5K is a fast road race through coastal Newburyport, MA. What makes this race so special is the scenic coastline and the eclectic shops and restaurants of Newburyport. Surprisingly, there was a decent field of runners for what felt like a very small time race.

Parking/Facilities/Registration: Parking is located very close to the start behind Bresnahan Elementary School. There were enough spaces to accommodate the early arrivals while the rest found parking on nearby streets. Bathrooms and registration tables were located in the school building. I never found myself waiting in line more than a few minutes. Registration was efficient and there were plenty of volunteers on hand. Score 1/1

Race Course: The course was fast with a major downhill section during mile one. Runners were kept honest by climbing a major uphill during mile 3. Volunteers were present throughout the course and kept everybody moving in the right direction. Traffic was moving on the roads, so runners used caution. Score 1/1

Refreshments: Post race refreshments consisted of water, yogurt, and pizza. Plenty of food was available for everyone. Score 1/1

Awards and Results: The results took a while to be posted and there was a bit of confusion as to the correct gender of a few runners. Very limited awards were handed out. This event is clearly a fundraiser for the PTA, but I think they could have gone deeper than one in each age group. Score 0/1

Overall Experience: Despite running a fast time and enjoying a decent racing experience, this one won't be on my list next year. There are just too many other good races each spring in New England. Score 0/1

Race Results

Race Score: 3/5

Race Review: Whale of a Trail 5K

Whale of a Trail 5K
Rye, NH
April 20, 2013
Race Site Link

Overall Racing Experience: 4/5





The Whale of a Trail 5K is a quaint trail race through Odiorne State Park in Rye, NH. What makes this race so special is the location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. This is a muddy, challenging, cross-country race with steep hills, sharp turns, and plenty of terrain changes. This is quickly becoming a local favorite among NH seacoast runners in need of a spring tune-up.

Parking/Facilities/Registration: Parking is located very close to the start. There were just enough spaces to accommodate everyone. Bathrooms are located in the Seacoast Science Center building and also 200 yards away by the starting line. I never found myself waiting in line more than a few minutes. Registration was efficient and there were plenty of volunteers on hand to handle the crush of runners 30 minutes prior to race time. Score 1/1

Race Course: The course was challenging and always changing. Lots of turns and steep hills to keep things interesting. It was muddy and wet, but runners experienced pine needles, pavement, wooden bridges, sandy beaches, loose gravel, and grass lawns. Volunteers were present throughout the course and kept everybody moving in the right direction. Twice during the race you could see the field of runners as we looped by each other in serpentine paths. Score 1/1

Refreshments: Post race refreshments consisted of water, yogurt, bagels, and muffins. Plenty of food was available for everyone. Score 1/1

Awards and Results: The results took a while to be posted and there was a bit of confusion as to where they would be held. Many runners left during the wait as it was a bit cold and windy outside. The awards categories were generous and many people earned a gift certificate/water bottle/etc. Score 0/1

Overall Experience: I really enjoyed the race event and I will be sure to put this on my race calendar for next year as well. The cross-country course, the field of less than 300 runners, and the friendly volunteers will continue to make this a great race. Score 1/1

Race Results

Race Score: 4/5