The Boston Athletic Association has added a 10k race to its competition offerings. The Inaugural…read moreBAA 10k was staged with the professionalism and precision you would expect from the group that organizes one of the most famous marathons in the world. While the weather was lousy (95% humidity!), the race was excellent. The Course: The course begins on Charles Street between the Public Garden and the Common (if you've run the Tufts 10k, it's the same start/finish). The course goes out to BU on Commonwealth Ave. and Bay State Road, then features a hairpin turn at the 5k mark to return via Comm Ave. I never realized until I ran this race, but Comm Ave is pretty dang hilly along the BU campus. They have a timing mat in advance of the finish line that allows the emcee to announce runners as they cross--pretty cool. I don't know if they announced me because I was too busy looking for a place to lay down and die (see: 95% humidity). The course also featured a few hallmarks of what I consider a well-organized race. Every mile was marked and featured a digital clock with the gun time. Water stations were plentiful and increased in frequency toward the end of the race. The race was completely chip timed. And they staggered the start beautifully to prevent course over-crowding. People self-selected into gates by anticipated pace, then the gates were released in three waves four minutes apart. This is the first race I've run with a hairpin where I did not have to walk the turn due to crowding. The Extras: If there's one place where the BAA 10k loses points, it's the post-race festivities. They did have bagels, bananas, and other snacks for runners, but on the whole there wasn't much to see and do after the race. In fairness, the reason to race is not to get a bunch of free crap from advertisers afterward, so I won't knock stars for that. I will say I wish water were available closer to the finish line, especially given the weather. The t-shirt, on the other hand, is fabulous. It's an Adidas performance shirt that has the texture of a Smartwool. Love it. The $40 entry fee was worth it just for this t-shirt.

The BAA 10k is a fun run around Boston. It starts in between…read morethe public garden and Boston Common, just like the BAA 5k. It runs all the way down to Boston University, makes a u-turn and runs back to the start. THE DEAL: if you sign up for the BAA 5k, 10k and half marathon, they give you a special Distance Medley medal and bibs for each race.

Don't sign up. Race was cancelled and no refunds issued. Sorry, I don't care why the race…read morecouldn't happen. If it doesn't, the entry fee needs to be refunded. On top of that, the organizer is ignoring everyone and not communicating. Total class act.

I ran this race in 2011 - It was the first and last half marathon that I ran in 2011 before being…read moresidelined with a torn meniscus and a subsequent surgery. I was really excited to have this be my "comeback" race. Last year it was freezing and it rained/snowed for most of the race. This year the temperature was considerably warmer, but it was incredibly windy. Other reviews has mentioned that yes, you can't control the weather, but why not move the timing of the race? I actually have to say that I love that this race is in February. It helps to keep me training through the winter when I'd otherwise want to hibernate with a crate of Girl Scout cookies and tons of reality television. Also, for people who are fast (aka all of my friends and NOT me), it's a Boston Qualifier, so the timing is perfect, and I doubt it will ever be changed. The course: It's pretty flat, by New England standards (which means that there are hills throughout the course). I think the freezing rain and snow from last year blocked me from realizing the elevation - because I was totally taken by surprise when I hit the hills this year. It's also scenic without a ton of crowd support, which is fine by me. Personally, I didn't love the placement of the water stations (they seemed a little sporadic) - but the volunteers were very friendly and cheered, which was appreciated. The expo: It's a little bit of a madhouse. I think that, back when this race was smaller, the convention center was probably the perfect location for the start/finish/expo. There are just too many people now. The morning of the race the line was through the hallway and out the door for people who were picking up their race numbers. I waited in line for about 15 minutes just to go to the bathroom an hour before lining up to start. As far the expo itself - it's fairly small although you can pick up sport beans, socks, tech shirts, or anything else you may have forgotten at home. Other details: Also, in addition to the half marathon, there is a full marathon and a marathon relay. The race t-shirt for the last two years has been a long-sleeved cotton t-shirt. Personally, I'd love to see race directors moving away from race shirts and lowering the registration fees, but that is probably just a pipe dream. The bottom line: All in all, despite any negatives - I will always have a soft spot for this race and will probably run it for the foreseeable future.

Great race in an adorable town!! Everything was well organized and the people who worked the race…read morewere so friendly and helpful. Beautiful view of the harbor along the path and lots of fans were cheering throughout the half marathon! It really seemed like the whole town came together to support the marathoners. Lots of hotel and restaurant specials pre and post race as well...awesome weekend!

Well, now I know that when the Rock N Roll crew says "rain or shine," they mean it. The race took…read moreplace in a downpour, and kudos to the volunteers and organizers for making sure water stops, medical tents, and finish line were all fully staffed despite the horrible weather. As Stephanie mentioned in her review, a good number of the bands who were supposed to play along the course didn't show up. I do blame them. The bands had tent coverage, and the ones who were there seemed well protected from the weather. Part of the allure of this race was the live entertainment and it was basically missing for the middle third of the course. Boo to the bands who can't handle bad weather. Don't sign up to play at this sort of event if you won't show up in rain. On the flip side, an extra YAY for the bands who did play. It was cool to be serenaded with live music throughout the course. And it was great to see so many Providence residents out on their porches cheering--and local cheerleading squads organized at several points on the route! The course itself was definitely a good one, although hillier in the second half than I'd expected. A steep uphill to the finish felt a bit cruel. Still, I appreciated long straightaways along gorgeous tree-lined streets. Mile markers were clearly placed with digital clocks recording the race time, and time was captured at the 5k, 10k, 10m, and 12m marks. The wave start was also extremely well-planned and resulted in a fairly non-crowded course, although we were delayed in starting about 20 minutes due to some sort of street congestion. Unfortunately one consequence of the torrential rain was huge puddles along the course, sometimes unavoidable. Even my wicking socks couldn't prevent some nasty blisters from soaked footwear. Finally, the all important issue of THE RACE T-SHIRT: Short-sleeved, navy blue, technical tee with an understated almost nautical logo. Unfortunately they are cut for men and run a bit large, so mine is pretty long on me, but I think this will be a nice addition to my running collection. I'd suggest getting some ladies' shirts next time--the race costs enough. Overall, this wasn't a bad little race. I'd do it again next year, but definitely pray for sun.

My running coach suggested that when I get ready to run my first half marathon, to go away. I took…read morehim at his word for the first time last year (2011) and ran this one. Whereas others lament the rain, I loved it and was hoping for the same this time (2012). Instead we were greeted with low to mid 70's -- equally good weather -- and the benefit of hearing the headliner band among others. Add to this that the city of Providence, made the weekend a festive one with Water Fire and evening entertainment -- something I missed by one week last year -- great move, there. I love the course -- it's a good mix of easy and challenging and offers different views of the city for one who is not a local (I come fr CA). There is nothing like finishing a race all "Rocky" status while running the last point one mile up to the State House. Even though it was my 2nd time running this, I still welled up a bit....just don't ask me about my finishing time :\ ...maybe that was the real source of my tears. lol.

Great 5k event! We were running late but still managed to make it 10 mins before the first wave at…read more8am. (BTW, waves were 10-15 min intervals.) Attention event runners! For all those wondering about the price, who aren't aware... sign up for an Active Account. They frequently send you emails and updates regarding future events. I received a promo for this and purchased tickets for $10 each! (Not including online fees.) Also, I've seen Groupon deals and if you prefer to wait until the very last min, I think they offer it you at $20 a bargain. Now, Let's talk about the three colored bubble boggs. Side note, I did overhear runners mentioning there were more boggs in the course during previous years... Anyhow, I was under the impression that there was one at every mile. Completely false! My best estimate of the first yellow bubble bogg was at 1/2 mile mark. This first one was rather disappointing. I'm not sure if it was meant as a tease or they did not turn on the machine all the way. There was not enough bubbles. The second green bubble bogg, maybe at the 1.5 mile? was a slightly better. I actually ran through some bubbles. The last pink bubble bogg was the best! (Guessing at 2.5ish, since we still had to race towards the finish line.) As a matter of fact, we stopped here to take all our pics. It was the most accurate representation of the race based on pictures on their website. So I have to give myself a pat on on the back here. I ran the entire 5k! Proud is an understatement! If you survive and make it to the finish line lol, there is a "Dance Party." This was probably the highlight of the event! There was a DJ to get you grooving. And they even had two cannons shooting bubbles. It was so much fun! Felt like I was in a a foam party. I gave them an extra star based on this ;-)

I participated in the Bubble Run 5K in Brockton, MA. My main complaint was the day before, when…read morepicking up my bib packet. There were no signs telling where to go (other than the Gate number) and I drove around several times before I found the registration booths. The run itself was a lot of fun - all the bubble machines were working, and each station had colored bubbles; pink, green and blue. Be warned - your shoes get very wet and muddy! The finisher's medals were a little flimsy - not the best quality. I was a little disappointed in the "after-party" - there were no vendors, free samples or photo ops like at other 5Ks. Just a DJ with bubble cannons. But the bubbles were fun and the photos were priceless. For the $12 that it cost me (plus $10 parking) it was worth it.

Came here to run in Massachusetts for my 32nd US State, even though I bandited Boston last year…read more This one is official! The temperature was 42 and coming from Miami that is brrrrrrrrrr! Otherwise I can't complain. Sunny weather and picture perfect blue skies. I read about Myles Standish in RunningintheUSA.com and it was a small time kinda race. The race takes place in the Myles Standish Forest but was mostly on paved roads. Who is Myles Standish ? He was captain of the Mayflower and the town of Plymouths' Marshall, defending the colony from several Indian invasions. We visited Plymouth Rock (1620) the previous night and after the race made a beeline to Mayflower brewery. What I lived about this race is there was an early start at 7am, which I took advantage of and my boyfriend caught up with me around mile marker 13 even though he started in the 8am start. Yeah he's fast! We were both bundled up for he first half of the race and then we changed clothes as we passed our parked car mid-way through. The course was hilly and also had a fair amount of wind. On certain spots you could see cranberry bogs, which were super cool. The finisher medals were small but there was plenty of free food including pasta salad, regular salad, pizza, oranges, bananas, and kettle chips. The race finished at a local high school and had DJs blasting music and announcing our finish. I had a great time!

So I've done 2 marathons on 2 consecutive days. Let's do it again!…read more That's what I said. And speaking from experience, I couldn't believe it when I found myself crossing the finish line on the 2nd day and lived to tell about it - on the US east coast. While my performance was anything but stellar, it was a marathon finish that I would never thought possible, if it wasn't for the prodding and coercing nature of a few marathoner friends whom do this sort of thing all the time. I had done this before, but I found myself looking ahead and seeing what else I could do and do often enough to the point where this is pretty easy stuff to do. I proudly can say that I finished the 2012 version of the Amica Rhode Island marathon in Newport, RI. It was my 2st "double" out of 6 of them completed over the course of my 50 states marathon journey. This was my 44th lifetime marathon and 28nd marathon state in a bid to knock off 50 marathons in 50 states from Hawaii. It was great to be in Rhode Island actually. It was quite amazing to be in this state, especially when I could be in Las Vegas or something. We all have our destiny. Here I was running a marathon in Rhode Island. It was meant to be. The Amica Rhode Island marathon (back in 2012) isn't what I would call a "well oiled machine", but it caters to everyone - runners and walkers alike. It's a small town race, but it is well organized and has that small town feeling. Everyone and anyone can participate, providing that they register officially up until the expo closes the day before the event. Now, its called the Newport Rhode Races, where the current sponsor is United Health Care. The marathon and half marathon is typically held in mid October, typically when autumn is in full effect and the weather is downright epic for a personal best and just great running weather. Cool conditions are expected and everyone has a fun time for all. It was about upper 40's at the start that fateful morning and warmed up to about mid 60's. It was almost ideally perfect for me. The Amica Rhode Island marathon starts and finishes in a beach park area between Easton Bay and Easton Pond. A few of the course highlights would be mile 6 where we got to run along the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It was pretty windy, but at least it wasn't rainy. About mile 12, we got to run close to the fabled Newport mansions, so that was pretty darn awesome. The last half of the marathon was particularly taxing, when we had a hilly out and back section of the course. From mile 15-17 was a two mile deserted out and back along the water front, before heading into some residential areas. From mile 18 through 24 was really mentally and physically challenging, since out and back courses, you see the same stuff twice and I don't like that. Rolling hills and just the fact that I just was really out of it after mile 18 gave me pause to what I was really doing out here. I was already half way towards my goal, so I just have to keep going. There were no live music on the course and the aid stations were 2 miles apart, so that was a saving grace. Thanks to the volunteers who make marathons so much amazing. Crossing the finish line was particularly gratifying, especially when I was a little tired from the day before and I just wanted it all to be done. It was really nice to see parts of Rhode Island that I would not have done so on my own. I probably would not have been here, if it wasn't for this self imposed marathon challenge that I have. Everything was pretty organized, so I can't complain. There were really no spectators during the marathon, which was kind of disappointing. There was pockets of people along the route - mostly local folks and passersby, but I wouldn't count them as spectators. The finisher's medal was great. It was a decent design and just an above average marathon for the city and community of Newport, RI to rally around and support. And so, if you would like to run a small sized marathon on the Eastern Seaboard USA in the middle of October, do give this one a chance. You'll be pleasantly surprised at what Newport, RI can offer you. I didn't have a rental car on this one, but do feel free to explore the area before and after the race. This can be a destination race for y'all who want to run a fall race but don't want to travel too far. I would recommend the Newport Rhode Races to anyone and everyone who wants an enjoyable marathon or half marathon. If you need Rhode Island for the state of RI, consider this one too. Whether you want to BQ or PR, or just finish your first race ever, this one has it all. Check it out! Run more! Support local! B+

BRR puts on great affordable races and has awesome community outreach initiatives such as their…read morefree weekly run clubs. BRR welcomes both novices and veterans alike with runners of all paces showing up to their runs and races. If you're looking for a friendly club to join, definitely check out their runs (Tuesdays at 5:45 pm, Wednesdays at 5:45 am, and Saturdays at 7:45 am)!

Boston Road Runners is a great organization. This group always hosts runs and it doesn't matter…read morewhat pace you run at, they're welcoming of all. This group is super friendly and so much fun to run with. Highly recommend to anyone that is looking for a fun and solid running group!

The Northern Trust is one of the premiere events on the PGA Tour. It's been known by a variety of…read morenames over the years, the big ones being The Barclays (2007-2016), the Buick Classic (1990-2004), and the Westchester Classic with various or no title sponsors (1967-1989). The inaugural tournament in '67 was won by Jack Nicklaus. The tournament was played annually at Westchester Country Club in New York, but beginning in 2008, it has been played at various courses in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The most recent edition (2020), which just concluded a week ago today on August 23, 2020, was played at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. This was the first time TPC Boston has hosted this tournament, but it's no stranger to PGA Tour events as it hosted the Dell Technologies Championship (2017-2018) and Deutsche Bank Championship (2003-2016) before the tournament ended in '18. Both The Northern Trust and the Dell Technologies Championship are/were FedEx Cup playoff events, but the Dell Technologies Championship was removed as an event beginning in 2019. This reduced the playoffs from four events to three with The Northern Trust pretty much consuming the Dell Technologies Championship on the Tour's schedule. Since the FedEx Cup playoffs began in 2007, The Northern Trust has always been the first tournament of the playoffs. Currently, The Northern Trust accepts the top 125 FedEx Cup points leaders into the field after the conclusion of the regular reason, so the event is guaranteed to have a great field. Also, outside of The Players Championship, majors, and the WGC (World Golf Championship) events, The Northern Trust has one of the biggest purses among official Tour events. For this season (2019-20), it was $9,500,000. This year's champion, Dustin Johnson, took home the winner's share of $1,710,000. Not a bad payday. DJ dominated the 2020 Northern Trust, winning by 11 strokes. It wasn't even close. It was one of those leaderboards that just didn't look right. He put up prime Tiger-like numbers late Saturday into Sunday to really separate himself from the field. His final scores were 60-64-63-63. He finished 30-under at 254 (TPC Boston, originally designed by Arnold Palmer and redesigned by Gil Hanse and Brad Faxon, used to be par 73, but now plays to par 71). It was the largest margin of victory on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson won by 13 strokes at TPC Sugarloaf in 2006. DJ's win put him in fourth place for most PGA Tour victories in the last 40 years with 22 wins (Tiger 82, Phil 44, Vijay Singh 34) and he reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. Congrats, Dustin. Way to shut Brooks up. ;)