Now that the new year is in full swing, the NE Runner Calendar is out, and for the most part, many of the road racing series' have announced their 2008 schedules, I'd like to take some time to point out some other races besides the obvious USATF-NE Grand Prix events that we all know and love....

Now if you are are just the run-of-the-mill (no pun intended) runner like I am, and you run and race for fun like I do, then you may want to know about some other fun race series' out there that you can take advantage of this coming season. Some of these I ran last year, and others I ran back in my previous running life (in the 1990s).. I am trying to figure out all the races I want to run and really do love running up in NH as opposed to picturesque (sarcastic) Ollie or Baystate (I love Lowell...but that course...in October... i'm getting depressed already).

The USATF-NE Grand Prix

We all know about the big series that we'll run to show everyone how awesome the Merrimack Valley Striders are...

• New Bedford Half Marathon - New Bedford MA - [1/2-marathon] - Sun, March 16, 11am - [07 Results] - 1828 finishers
• Medical Center 6K - Nashua NH - [6k] - Sun, May 11, 9:30am - [07 Results] - 191 finishers
• Rhody 5K - Lincoln RI - [5k] - Sun, June 1, 9:30am - [no race in 2007]
• Yankee Homecoming 10 Mile - Newburyport MA - [10M] - Tues, July 29, 6:30pm - [07 Results] - 1279 finishers
• Bridge of Flowers 10K - Shelburne Falls MA - [10k] - Sat, Aug 9, 9am - [07 Results] - 531 finishers
• The Ollie 5 Road Race - South Boston MA - [5m] - Sat, Sept 6, 10am - [07 Results] - 1229 finishers
• Bay State Marathon - Lowell MA - [Marathon] - Sun, Oct 19, 8:30 am - [07 Results] - 717 finishers

But there are some others around that you may find fun and competative, that will fit nicely into your spring/summer/fall road racing schedule...

2008 Seacost Road Race Series:

Aside from the USATF NE GP races, there is also a very cool series up on the NH seacoast called (cleverly enough) the Seacoast Road Race Series. I actually prefer this race series to the USATF NE GP series because 3 of the 8 races are in Portsmouth (two are right in downtown) which is one of my favorite places to be. Also, you need to only finish 6 of the 8 races to get a very cool SCRR jacket. Check out the series information here.

The races:

• Children's Museum of Portsmouth - Portsmouth NH - [5k] - Saturday, May 3 - [07 Results] - 357 finishers
• Runner's Alley/Redhook 5K - Portsmouth NH - [5k] - Sunday, May 25, 11am - [07 Results] - 1824 finishers
• Market Square Day 10K - Portsmouth NH - [10k] - Saturday, June 14, 9am - [07 Results] - 1398 finishers
• York Days 5K - York, ME - [5k] - Sunday, July 27 - [07 Results] - 166 finishers
• Saunders at Rye Harbor 10K - Rye NH - [10k] - Thursday, Aug 21, 6pm- [07 Results] - 763 finishers
• Fox Point Sunset 5 Miler - Newington NH - [5M] - Saturday, Sept, 06- [07 Results - 477 finishers] - 477 finishers
• Great Island 5K - New Castle, NH - [5k] - Sunday, October 12 - [07 Results] - 630 finishers
• Great Bay 5K - Stratham NH - [5k] - Saturday, Oct 25, 9am - [07 Results] - 715 finishers

Quickies about my experience at these (from just this past year)...

The Redhook 5k, held on Memorial Day weekend is at the Redhook Brewery (yes, a brewery, Matt) at Pease Int. Tradeport right off of R-16 in Portsmouth. It is flat and fast. I ran this last year and had a blast... The start was featured on the cover of 2007 NE Runner Event Calendar (pic from the 2006 race of course). [photographic evidence from 2007]

Market Square Day is an awesome time even without the race. The whole downtown area is one big party..lots of shopping, eating, etc. All the bars are open early and all day (Matt). This had been part of the USATF-NE GP once before... Relatively quick 10k even with the rolling hills in the middle. Big prize money too...just ask Caroline :). [photographic evidence from the 2007 event...overcast and drizzly, but fun nonetheless]

Harbour Trail 5k is another fast 5k although I only got through slightly over 1 mile of it last year before calling it a day (thats what you get for playing 5 hours of roller hockey the day before...never again...Fernando didn't know that, but now he does). During the race, a Jr. high school kid in high-tops pulled up next to me and asked me what the mile split was...when I saw the first number of the time, I told him and then promptly whipped my singlet off (a-la Dennis Rodman after a double-technical) and pulled over. Revenge this year.

2008 New Hampshire RR Grand Prix:

These races seem to be pretty good and have had some nice large fields last year. I know the 10 miler is hilly (as part of the USATF-NE Mountain Running Series).

• Soup Kitchen 10K - Nashua NH - [10k] - Sunday, Apr 13, 1pm - [07 Results] - 347 finishers
• Bedford Rotary 12k - Bedford NH - [12k] - Saturday, May 17, 8:30am - [07 Results] - 459 finishers
• Pack Monadnock 10 Miler - Winton NH - [10m] - Sunday, June 1, 9am - [07 Results] - 225 finishers
• Bill Luti 8K - Concord NH - [8k] - Saturday, July 19 - [07 Results] - 401 finishers
• Old Home Day 5-Miler - Sandown NH - [5m] - Saturday, Aug 9- [07 Results] - 116 finishers
• St. Charles Children's Home 5K - Portsmouth NH - [5k] - Monday, Sep 1, 9am - [07 Results] - 874 finishers
• Footrace for the Fallen 5K - Manchester NH - [5k] - Sunday, Oct 19, 11am - [07 Results] - 681 finishers

Quickies about my experience at these (from just this past year)...

Bedford Rotary 12k - This was (up until this point) my longest race ever. As part of the USATF-NE GP last year, it was a horrific experience for me personally, but this is a very solid race early in the season. I'm pretty sure there were some hills...I blacked out a few times so I can't really remember.

2008 NE Runner Pub Series:

If you get REALLY thirsty after you run, you may want to keep these in mind as well. They also do a jacket or shirt or something if you compete in X amount of these races....Usually NE Runner will update their site with the info in late winter although it doesn't look like they've done anything about it just yet. Most of these sites still have last year's info on them so I will let you Google these to get the info if you are thinking of running any of these...

Doyle's Emerald Necklace 5M - Jamaica Plain, MA - [5M] - Sun, April 13 - [07 Results] - 1809 finishers
Irish Village 5M - W. Yarmoth, MA - [5M] - May 10 - [07 Results] - 191 finishers
Pat Polletta Winner's Circle 5K - Salisbury, MA - [5K]- July 2 - [07 Results] -139 finishers
Khoury's Summer Sizzler - Somerville, MA - [4.13 Miles] - July 13 - [07 Results] - 222 finishers
Bobby Bell 5 Miler - Haverhill, MA - [5M] - Oct 12 - [07 Results] - 271 finishers
Paddy Shillelagh 3M - West Newton, MA - [3M] - Oct 19 - [07 Results] - 1332 finishers

2008 La Sportiva USATF New England Mountain Running Circuit

And lastly, for the die-hard or just plain insane...there's always running up hill for hours on end...

• Wachusett Mountain, Princeton MA - [4.3 M] - May 24, 9:30am.
  
• Pack Monadnock - Wilton to Temple NH - [10 M] - June 1, 9am
  
• Northfield Mountain Run - Northfield MA [10.3 K] - June 7, 9am
  
• Cranmore Hill Climb North Conway NH - [10K] - June 29
• Loon Mountain Race Lincoln NH - [12K] - July 6
• Mt.Ascutney Run to the Summit - Windsor VT - [3.8 M] - July 12, 9:30am

If you have comments or stories about any of these races, please let me know...