Under the Radar Races- Join the fun!

There are so many good races out there, make sure you don't waste your time with the lousy ones. There are a few good race series out there including the New England Grand Prix and the All Terrain Series that get plenty of publicity. Below are a few under-the-radar races that are worth pre-registering for.

April 11th
The Merrimack River 10 Miler
While not really under the radar now that it's part of the All-Terrain series, this race is a great early season trail run on some of the best easily accessible trails in Mass. I often will stop on my way home from Boston just to run a few miles of it. Unfortunately, I won't be able to race it this year, as I'll be tackling the St. Louis Marathon that same weekend but I highly recommend you check it out.

May 2nd
Ralph Waldo Emerson Trail Race
This course is on the trails I run all the time. This acidotic RACING event will take place on the City of Concord's Winant Park Trails. Located close to downtown Concord the trails offer a beautiful taste of windy singletrack, switchbacks with breathtaking views of the capital area and nordic-type paths.  I wasn't around to do the race last year but I plan to this time around.

To register for the Emerson Trail Race, click here.

May 21st
The Rock N Race
This Thursday night race is a must-do if you live in the Concord area. When you see how many people do it, you'd question that it's under the radar but it is for the front of the pack runners where a sub 17 can net you a top five finish. Not bad for an event with over 6,000 runners! Even if you don't like running, you should really consider walking it as it is for a good cause. However, you may gain weight if you walk it and stop at all of the free food tents along the way which include chips and salsa and chocolate covered strawberries.

To register for the Rock N Race, click here.


July 19th .
You are in luck! Two good races going on in New England that weekend. You've got a choice between a road 10K that is sure to attract some speedy racers and a trail marathon that keeps getting longer and tougher each year:

LVL10K!

The Level Renner 10K race directors scoured race calendars and have finally  settled on a date with the fewest possible conflicts:

They have tons of awards and raffle prizes. If pre-registration is strong enough, they are even going to increase the prize purse. You may remember the Level from when Amber and I graced it's covers several years ago. Since then, they've continued to cover the New England running scene from track meets to trail races. A go to site for all things running.

To register for the LVL10K, click here.

Bear Brook Trail Marathon

Another aR race, this one is brutal. I paced my buddy, Rich, a couple years ago and thought the 27.4 miles of ups and downs were tough enough, but supposedly race director, Ryan Welts, has upped the distance and the challenge. Good post-race celebration and a run through a blueberry patch makes it all worth while.

And if you are looking for a little less competition than you might see at the New England Grand Prix or the All-Terrain race series', you may want to consider doing the CARS Race Series. All seven of the races are in towns surrounding Concord, hence Capital area race series, and are well put on.

Up Next:
Danny tackles the New Bedford Half Marathon on Sunday(March 15th)
Amber looks for world domination at  Ironman South Africa on March 29th.

Stay Tuned!