Will Run for Cider Donuts

Fall Road Races

By Mona Kulkarni Caron

Fall in love with fall races. After training through a hot and humid summer, you can enjoy the cooler temps and reap the benefits from your hard work. The race calendar is full of options for road races in October and beyond. Consider these highlighted events for your next races. 

October kicks off with a unique, family-friendly community event. On Saturday, Oct. 4, it’s the Dan’s Derby and Walk at Gavin Park in Saratoga Springs. It’s a chance to build your own derby car (like they do in Scouts) and race it down their official derby track. Make sure to put on your comfiest walking shoes and join in for a 1.25-mile memorial walk in remembrance of those lives lost to a substance abuse disorder (formerly the Dan Provost Memorial Walk). 

Other activities will include family-friendly games, silent auction, food, and a community resource fair. All funds raised will benefit the Prevention Council of Saratoga County, including Healing Springs Recovery Center. Sign up for the walk, enjoy the derby and activities. For info and to register: preventioncouncil.org. 

Fall also means it’s marathon and half marathon season. Check out these races with long and short options for everyone. 

On Saturday, Oct. 11, get ready to race in the 54th annual Lake Placid Classic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K. Races start/finish is at the North Elba Horse Show Grounds surrounded by nature and the beauty of the High Peaks. The event continues to grow with 650 participants expected. The race route for the Half Marathon and 10K includes two moderate hills, one at the start and towards the end, with an out-and-back on River Road – alongside the Ausable River – with excellent views in both directions. The start time is at 8am and the course closes at noon.

New this year, a 5K! Whether you’re signing up to run your best 5K of the season or want to walk a shorter out/back River Road route with friends or family members (maybe while your other friends or family may be running the 13.1M or 10K) the Classic has something for everyone. It’s also one of the Lake Placid region’s only non-profit running events, which aims to raise funds to support a community-wide wellness initiative and youth programming. Register: lakeplacidclassic.com.

On Sunday, Oct. 12, it’s the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon and Half Marathon. Both races run along the beautiful, historic Mohawk and Hudson reivers on relatively flat point-to-point courses with an elevation decline, so a PR or Boston Qualifier may await. Runner’s World magazine describes the course as “simple, understated and stunning.” The marathon starts just 0.2-mile from the paved Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail, so for 18 miles you can enjoy the fall views, much of it within view of the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. There’s 3.5 miles of Cohoes, Green Island, and Watervliet city streets, before you’re back onto the bike path for the final five miles before arriving to cheering finish-line crowds at the Corning Preserve in Albany. 

The half marathon starts at the Colonie Town Park, does a quick cross country loop in the park, and proceeds to the paved bike-hike trail. It’s the second half of the full marathon, so you run some well-marshalled city streets, before returning to the trail to finish. The marathon and half attract some of the best runners in the Northeast, so there’s no better place to test your mental and physical strength than these courses. 

Mohawk Hudson perks include transportation to the start for both races, pacers (marathon only), runner course tracking, post-race refreshments and massage, and medical team support. The Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club directs these well-organized races with many experienced volunteers and support from the community – many of them runners too. Register: mohawkhudsonmarathon.com.

If you’re ready to run Vermont’s “sweetest” half marathon, join the Middlebury Maple Run in Middlebury, Vt. on Sunday, Oct. 19. The Half Marathon, 10K and 5K are a mix of trail, paved and dirt roads for each distance amidst colorful foliage. Enjoy the beautiful, scenic routes with views of the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. The races are well-organized with great swag, inspiring music on course, and a complimentary post-race breakfast. On course you’re well-supported by five aid stations, and top finishers win Vermont maple syrup. 

Complimentary race pacing services are available for the half marathon with goal times of 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:15, 2:30 and 2:45. No sign up is necessary, just find your pace group at the starting line. With many perks and support on race day, it’s worth a trip! Register:  middleburymaplerun.com.

Get your costumes ready early for the next two Halloween-themed races! On Saturday, Oct. 25, Albany’s Trick or Trot Pumpkin 5K is a fun, spooky race for all ages with decorated course through Washington Park. Enjoy a pre-event party from 12-4pm with family-friendly activities, DJ, free pumpkins, and treats. 

There are two different 5K options: one for competitive runners under 35 minutes to start at 3:45pm, and fun run or walkers finishing in 35+ minutes to start at 4:30pm. After the dash, stick around for race awards and a best costume ceremony. The Trick or Trot is organized by the City of Albany Office of Cultural Affairs. Register: albanyevents.org.

Also on Saturday, Oct. 25 is the 32nd running of the Goblin Gallop 5K Run/Walk at Abraham Wing School in Glens Falls. It’s a fun and uplifting community-based race and walk produced by the Adirondack Runners, and costumes are encouraged. This year, runners will race on the pre-marked two-loop course in downtown Glens Falls – “so fast it’s scary!” The free Halloween Hop Kids 1K Run immediately follows the 5K with Halloween treat bag to all finishers. While the kids are running, hang out with other runners and enjoy great post-run refreshments.

The Goblin Gallop benefits the Adirondack Runners Scholarship Fund and is a prime fundraiser an ongoing Nepal Village Schools project. Proceeds have helped build a new three-story Regional Secondary School building in a remote hill village in Nepal. Race director Lee Pollock spent two years in this village as a Peace Corps teacher in the 1970s. Current goals include improved sanitation and clean water for the school, a library, and increased computer and internet access. Lee and his wife Linda visit Nepal often and have been humbled and overwhelmed by the hope and optimism this project has brought to the people of the village. Register: zippyreg.com. 

If costumes and Halloween are not your thing, also on Saturday, Oct. 25, try the Run to Remember 5K at RPI’s East Campus Athletic Village in Troy. It’s a community event organized by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s AFROTC Detachment 550. The Run to Remember is a family-friendly, communitywide event to support local veterans and current college students. They have a virtual option for those who would like to support the cause but can’t participate in person. There’s also a student discount of $15 once you begin online registration.

This year, 60% of profits will be donated to Mission 22, a non-profit dedicated to offering free mental health, wellness, and community support programs for veterans and their families. These programs provide immediate help, eliminating the wait that veterans often face. The organization has also partnered with 15 other organizations to help veteran families with finances, mental health, and rehabilitation. Mission 22 was named after a statistic from a 2013 study conducted by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, where an estimated 22 veterans die by suicide each day. Mission 22’s goal is to combat this statistic by providing support, resources and raising awareness. Register: runsignup.com.

Get signed up, keep training or simply moving, and I’ll see you out there!

Mona Kulkarni Caron (mona@adksports.com) is race director of the Good Karma 5K Run/Walk, a mentor for the Run for Women Training Challenge, and enjoys running, biking, paddling and the outdoors. She works full-time as director of trails & stewardship at Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.