The NSKS Run & Walk for Food & Shelter is a springtime classic for the benefit of the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter. This lovely urban course begins and ends on the campus of Rivier University. We offer a USATF Certified 10K course, a USATF Certified 5K course, a 3K …
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The NSKS Run & Walk for Food & Shelter is a springtime classic for the benefit of the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter. This lovely urban course begins and ends on the campus of Rivier University. We offer a USATF Certified 10K course, a USATF Certified 5K course, a 3K Walk and a fun Kids Sprint for children ages 7 & younger.
Our in-person event will include our Corporate Team Challenge for our NSKS 5K Corporate Cup! A Corporate Team needs a minimum of 3 employees running the 5k course. Other participants who run the 10K or walk the 3k courses can also be part of your overall Corporate Team.
NSKS has achieved a lot in our 44 years of serving the greater Nashua area. We offer twice daily hot meals, a food pantry, and our children’s programs include backpacks, birthday celebrations, holiday gifts and Meals for Kids. In December 2022 we opened our new emergency shelter at 35 Spring Street, which has more than doubled our capacity to provide shelter, with a particular impact on families with children.
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Not as BOP-friendly as the morning race
This is a 5K or 10K run or a 3K walk in Nashua, NH which is in Southern NH and fairly close to where I live. I saw this race … MORE
This is a 5K or 10K run or a 3K walk in Nashua, NH which is in Southern NH and fairly close to where I live. I saw this race started around 1pm and decided to make it a 3 race weekend. Of course I pushed myself so hard at the half on Saturday, I had just about nothing left in the tank by 1pm Sunday so I knew this would be extra slow. There was no pre race email. Just a website with basic information. It starts and finishes at Rivier College in Nashua. Packet pickup was more efficient with the bib and shirt put in bags sorted alphabetically. Shirt is a nice tech T-shirt with the race logo. There were also a few porta potties at the start. Similar to last race it was chip timed with a separate start and finish that were close to each other. I was thinking of just walking this race but the RD loudly announced walkers had to do the 3K walk and it seemed pretty clear they didn’t want people walking the longer distances so I decided to run-walk as long as I could. I could tell from the field of runners this was not like this morning and I was gonna be near the end (I personally don’t mind being near the end especially in a longer distance such as a half or full marathon but I feel like a 5K should be a distance for everybody and there should be more people behind me). I was a little annoyed there was a van that reopened traffic that went at like a 12 min/mil pace which I was not doing today. All the course marshals and volunteers and markings were still out so it wasn’t like I was abandoned but it was annoying to have traffic reopened especially as even though I was slow I wasn’t unreasonable slow. The first mile especially was downhill and I did it at a solid just under 13 minute/mile pace. The course is just through neighborhoods and it was fine but not exciting. The volunteers were excellent and very encouraging which was good as there were not many people at my pace (unlike this morning) so I was alone for some of the race. There was at least one aid station on the course. It was well marked and had mile markers. The elevation profile was annoying. The first mile was mostly downhill. The second mile was mostly flat and the third mile uphill. I just walked the last uphill mile. My finishing time was pretty terrible but the announcer was still friendly and encouraging. There were only 5 people behind me in a field of about 100 participants so there were much less back of the packers than this morning. Again no medal and basic snacks like bananas, granola bars and fruit snacks. Overall this race was fine but they didn’t seem to be as encouraging to back of packers as the SEA race this morning. I wouldn’t say it was a terrible experience where I wouldn’t do this race again but it wasn’t the encouraging, supportive vibe of the morning race and I was alone much more this race. I probably wouldn’t do this race again in this specific situation where it is the third race of the weekend and I’m going to be so tired it is going to take me 45 minutes to finish but I would definitely do it if it was a call weekend where I was looking for an afternoon race or a weekend where I am only looking to do shorter races so I won’t be as slow as I think this would have been more enjoyable at my more typical 11-12 minute/mile 5K pace I can do when I am better rested.