This is a race in Southern New Hampshire that raises money for former Bruin Ray Bourque's Family Foundation. I was in New England this weekend and looking for a shorter … MORE
This is a race in Southern New Hampshire that raises money for former Bruin Ray Bourque’s Family Foundation. I was in New England this weekend and looking for a shorter race in NH to do with my dad. He is a Bruins fan so this was perfect. It is a 7.7K because Ray Bourque’s number was 77. Ray Bourque was actually at the race which was really cool. The race takes place in Tuscan Village in Salem, NH right at the NH/MA border. It is a place I am considering moving to so this also was useful as a property tour. There was tons of parking and the race area was set up great. My mom came with us as a spectator. Packet pick-up was easy. You had choice of short sleeve or long sleeve tech shirt. Shirt is nice but white which is not my favorite color for a shirt. One minor production complaint is the race started a little late. It was supposed to start at 10 which is a bit late for a race and ended up starting more like 10:10. Otherwise it was organized. The course was okay but not necessarily my favorite. There is a 7.7K (which is a bit under 5 miles if you don’t want to do the math) and a 5K. The 5K is a loop with the 7.7K an extra out and back that splits from the loop. The first part was coned off section of a kind of busy street. Then it was mostly through parking lots in the Tuscan Village though I did get to see what restaurants, etc are located in Tuscan Village. Then its a bit through neighborhoods then the out and back mostly on the rail trail and then you rejoin the 5Kers and again it’s a lot of parking lots. I liked the rail trail part the best and wish they utilized it more. Race pretty flat just some minor hills and inclines. There were a couple aid stations with water. One annoying thing about the course was the middle of the pack 7.7Kers met up with the back of the pack 5Kers and there was a whole pack of people with strollers I needed to maneuver around). My goal was to finish in under 1 hour and I was very happy I was a few minutes under. Even thought this is a pretty much guaranteed PR with such an odd distance it was actually my fastest pace in awhile. Though the course did seem to be maybe 0.1K short. At the finish line you get the medal which is a solid hockey/Bruins themed medal. Correct size for a shorter race. The finish area was really set up with lots of chairs, there was also food and beer. The food was breakfast pizza and some pastries but all the pizza appeared to have meat (I didn’t actually check as we were getting lunch right after the race and I didn’t want to wait in line). There was also a band. My mom had a ton of fun as a spectator and said it was set up great for spectators and she had so much fun she wants to come back next year. Overall this was a fun theme and set-up but the actual race was only okay. It’s a convenient location for me and was a fun family morning so I’d do it again if I were in town.
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Fun Race for Bruins Fans
This is a race in Southern New Hampshire that raises money for former Bruin Ray Bourque's Family Foundation. I was in New England this weekend and looking for a shorter … MORE
This is a race in Southern New Hampshire that raises money for former Bruin Ray Bourque’s Family Foundation. I was in New England this weekend and looking for a shorter race in NH to do with my dad. He is a Bruins fan so this was perfect. It is a 7.7K because Ray Bourque’s number was 77. Ray Bourque was actually at the race which was really cool. The race takes place in Tuscan Village in Salem, NH right at the NH/MA border. It is a place I am considering moving to so this also was useful as a property tour. There was tons of parking and the race area was set up great. My mom came with us as a spectator. Packet pick-up was easy. You had choice of short sleeve or long sleeve tech shirt. Shirt is nice but white which is not my favorite color for a shirt. One minor production complaint is the race started a little late. It was supposed to start at 10 which is a bit late for a race and ended up starting more like 10:10. Otherwise it was organized. The course was okay but not necessarily my favorite. There is a 7.7K (which is a bit under 5 miles if you don’t want to do the math) and a 5K. The 5K is a loop with the 7.7K an extra out and back that splits from the loop. The first part was coned off section of a kind of busy street. Then it was mostly through parking lots in the Tuscan Village though I did get to see what restaurants, etc are located in Tuscan Village. Then its a bit through neighborhoods then the out and back mostly on the rail trail and then you rejoin the 5Kers and again it’s a lot of parking lots. I liked the rail trail part the best and wish they utilized it more. Race pretty flat just some minor hills and inclines. There were a couple aid stations with water. One annoying thing about the course was the middle of the pack 7.7Kers met up with the back of the pack 5Kers and there was a whole pack of people with strollers I needed to maneuver around). My goal was to finish in under 1 hour and I was very happy I was a few minutes under. Even thought this is a pretty much guaranteed PR with such an odd distance it was actually my fastest pace in awhile. Though the course did seem to be maybe 0.1K short. At the finish line you get the medal which is a solid hockey/Bruins themed medal. Correct size for a shorter race. The finish area was really set up with lots of chairs, there was also food and beer. The food was breakfast pizza and some pastries but all the pizza appeared to have meat (I didn’t actually check as we were getting lunch right after the race and I didn’t want to wait in line). There was also a band. My mom had a ton of fun as a spectator and said it was set up great for spectators and she had so much fun she wants to come back next year. Overall this was a fun theme and set-up but the actual race was only okay. It’s a convenient location for me and was a fun family morning so I’d do it again if I were in town.