Slowly but surely, the number of neon-splashed sneakers and outfits on area roads has dramatically increased with the mild weather. That can only mean one thing: it’s road-race season.
Area runners are gearing up for races across the county and beyond, with countless events to choose from throughout the spring, summer and fall months – unless, of course, you’re a diehard. Then you run in virtually anything Mother Nature can throw at you.
The signature event of the year – at least locally – is the annual Bridge of Flowers Road Race, scheduled for Aug. 13. However, the racing scene starts in earnest soon – one local calendar has nearly 30 races listed for April.
Some of the area’s spring races include the Franklin County Spring Parade 5K on April 23 in Turners Falls; the Jill E. Harrington Hanzalik Kringle Candle Chase 5K at Pratt Field in Bernardston on May 7; and the 36th Lake Wyola Race in Shutesbury on June 12.
Several area races have been incorporated into the Sugarloaf Mountain Athleitc Club’s annual series. Now entering its seventh year, the SMAC Road Race Series will feature 15 races throughout the Pioneer Valley ranging in length from 5 kilometers to 13.1 miles.
The series schedule is mostly set (some races haven’t finalized dates, and one race may be switched for another), but it will officially begin April 10 with the Ron Hebert Road Race in Northampton.
The race, in its 48th year, and is named after Hebert, a longtime area cross country and track and field mentor who currently still coaches cross country at Franklin County Technical School.
The second race is tentatively the Cave Hill Classic 5-miler in Leverett, but it still hasn’t set a date. It may be switched to the 5-kilometer Daffodil Run in Amherst on April 24. That will be followed by the Rabbit Run 10K in New Salem on May 21.
The summer portion of the schedule includes only three events – the 4.8-mile Lake Wyola Road Race on June 12; the JCC Father’s Day 10K in Springfield on June 19; and the annual Montague Mug Race 5.5-miler in August.
Runners will head to Greenfield for the first event of the fall segment of the series, the Don Maynard Memorial 5-miler on Sept. 17. That will be followed by the Summit Run 5K in Hadley on Sept. 25.
October is the busiest part of the schedule, and all four races take place in Franklin County — the Conway Covered Bridge Classic 10K, Chase’n a Mason 5K in Turners Falls, the Jail Break 5K in Greenfield (Oct. 16) and Bernardston Kiwanis Falltown Classic 10K.
The series wraps up in November with the Dan Barry Memorial 5-Mile Road Race in Hatfield, the Monson Memorial Classic Half Marathon (Nov. 13) and the Clarkdale Fruit Farms 12K in Deerfield.
For questions about the series or to confirm start dates and times, email the series director at smacraceseries@gmail.com.
The races are described as fun and challenging.
“Some of us run for the sake of competition, others just to participate,” according to a recent SMAC newsletter. “Some of us enjoy the sportsmanship, some do it just for fun. This series has been put together with all of us in mind, in the hopes that all of us will have a reason to give it a try.”
An end-of-series recognition ceremony will be held. Awards will be given to those who complete at least nine races in the series, with additional special awards going to anyone who completes the entire 15-race series. Awards will for top scorers.
Registration fee for the series is just $25 (not including individual race entry fees) and covers the costs of the end-of-series recognition ceremony, finisher T-shirts and awards. Runners can register online at https://www.runreg. com/6211.