The 2018 Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race will take place on Saturday, June 16. Anyone that would like to run the challenging 7.6-mile race to the top must apply for a slot by entering a lottery. Lottery registration is open now through February 26.  

Runners can enter the race lottery at:
mountwashingtonroadrace.com

Lottery entrants will be informed on March 1 if they are accepted.

If you are rejected, you may contact Central Maine Striders to request a spot in the race. There are a limited number of entries per team for club members. Runners will have to provide a volunteer to assist the club on race day.
​
Please contact Ron Paquette for more info, if you may want a slot, or to help coordinate club volunteers and runners: uphill@uninets.net

The club has had a team entered at the Mt. Washington Road Race for many years. The 2018 race will be held on Saturday, June 16. To learn more about this challenging, all-uphill, 7.6-mile race up the Auto Road, visit: mountwashingtonroadrace.com

Have fun hanging out with your fellow Striders club members while competing in a 100-mile relay race this spring. Members are currently organizing several Striders teams for the 2018 Riverlands 100 & Relay race in Turner, Maine, on May 12 and 13.

Riverlands 100 is 100-mile relay or solo trail race organized by Trail Monster Running. Each relay team has five runners and each runner completes a 20-mile, out-and-back loop. 

Karen Gross, who ran the inaugural 2017 race with team Kennebec Trail Runners (read their 2017 race report), is helping to organize Striders teams for 2018. 

All abilities are welcome to join a club relay team. The Riverlands course is mostly wide dirt roads and is very easy to run, says Karen. Aid stations are positioned about every five miles along the course. The cutoff time is 32 hours, so even slower runners will have plenty of time to finish.

​The cost is $55 for each relay runner ($275 per team). This includes a race tee and a very cool hooded sweatshirt with a race logo if your team finishes before the cutoff time. For a bigger challenge, solo runners can compete in the full 100 miler ($160 registration fee).

If interested in joining a Striders team at Riverlands or if you have questions, please send an email to run@centralmainestriders.com or reach out to Karen Gross directly. 

For more information on the Riverlands 100 & Relay, put on by Trail Monster Running, visit www.riverlands100.com.

Striders Club Run at Riverlands

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The date for the club run at Riverlands has been postponed due to trail conditions. Once a new date has been selected we'll update the info.

Weather permitting Karen Gross will lead an easy, no-drop, 10-mile club run at Androscoggin Riverlands State Park for Striders members interested in joining a relay team.

The group will follow the Old River Road Trail on an out-and-back run, so runners can adjust the distance up or down to their liking. Meet at the Androscoggin Riverlands State Park entrance off Center Bridge Road, Turner, Maine.  

• For more info on the club group run: Facebook event
• For more info on Riverlands 100: www.riverlands100.com

• For more info on Androscoggin Riverlands State Park, including a trail map, visit: 
  ​www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=98

Directions: Travel Route 117 east from Turner about 2 miles, turning right at a fork just before a four-way intersection. Continue onto Center Bridge Road and proceed another 2 miles to the parking lot on right just before the Turner boat launch.
​

Run, walk, waddle, or race and join Central Maine Striders for an invigorating run at the 39th annual 4.5-mile January Thaw Road Race. This year’s race is scheduled for Sunday, January 21, at 11 a.m. at the Belgrade Central School.

The top female and male runners will receive $50 gift certificates each from New Balance. There also will be a post-race raffle for all runners with movie passes to local movie theaters, $20 gift certificates from local businesses like the Korner Store and Deli in Oakland, and gift certificates from local lumberyards. All runners get lightweight cotton gloves.

Refreshments will be served after the race in the Belgrade Central School cafeteria and will include oranges, bananas, hot chili, dark chocolate brownies, and Poland Spring water.

In the case of severe weather, the race will be held on Sunday, January 28, instead.

Registration:

• Race fee: $10 on the day of the race (please make out checks to Central Maine Striders)
• Registration will be held at Belgrade Central School (158 Depot Road, Belgrade) starting at 9 a.m. on race day
• Facebook Event: www.facebook.com/events/693862517488903/

​

Want to run up New Hampshire's Mt. Washington with other Central Maine Striders in June?

If you are interested in running the 2017 Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race as part of the Central Maine Striders team, please contact ​Ron Paquette at upbeat@uninets.net​ as soon as possible. There are a limited number of entries per team for club members. Once Ron hears from you, he will get back to you about the procedures.

The club has had a team entered at the Mt. Washington Road Race for many years. The 2017 race will be held on Saturday, June 17. To learn more about this challenging, all-uphill, 7.6-mile race up the Auto Road, visit: mountwashingtonroadrace.com

If you want to run, but not as part of a team, open registration for interested runners is open now through March 1 via a lottery system.

2017 January Thaw Race Results

38th January Thaw Road Race
January 15, 2017, 10 a.m.
4.5 miles
Belgrade Central School
Central Maine Striders
 
1. Ron Peck                             28:24
2. Jack Babin                           31:16
3. Peter Wirth                         32:02
4. Gust Stringos                     35:07
5. Richard Beaudoin             35:18
6. Julie Millard                        35:43*
7. Harold Shaw                       35:58
8. Susan brooks                      36:09*
9. Alicia MacLeay                    36:27*
10. Jeff Preble                          37:55
11. Richard Bissett                  38:03
12. Tammy Moulton               38:33*
13. Chad Tracy                        39:42
14. Shara Marquis                  39:52*
15. Lori Kaley                            42:04*
16. Dave Samuelian                46:52
17. Joe Phelan                           48:14
18. David Benn                         48:16
19. Casey Beaudoin                 49:54*
20. Tom McGuire                      50:07
21. Donnejean Puhlman          50:11*
22. Jim Moore                            52:36
23. Ron Paquette                      53:09
 
See more race day pictures, courtesy of David Colby Young and Maine Running Photos:

• Flickr
• Facebook​

The 6th annual Run/Walk Trek for Life 5K will be held Saturday, June 25, at 9 a.m. at Thomas College in Waterville. The race benefits Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area and L.N. Clark Inspiration Network. 

Advance registration is available online. Check-in and day-of registration starts at 8 a.m. The race starts at 9 a.m. and begins and ends at Thomas College.

The race route begins at 180 West River Road in Waterville at Thomas College and proceeds north towards Kennedy Memorial Drive. The route turns around at Roland Street and back then past the start to Eaglewood Drive (the sports fields) and down the back way through campus to the finish line.

Long-time Strider member Donnajean Pohlman is the event's race director.

Registration is $20. Register today!

Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area (HVWA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 that serves 27 communities in Central Maine. It exists to provide non-medical support to individuals and their families during the last phases of life, to loved ones throughout the grieving process, and to educate the community regarding issues related to death and grieving. Bereavement services are available to anyone who has sustained loss either through illness or unexpectedly. HVWA is volunteer based and community funded. 

The L.N. Clark Inspiration Network is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, established in 2008. Its goal is to help Maine cancer patients and their families. So many people need support and services in many areas during their medical oncology journey. Its passion is to lighten the burden and stress for the individuals in a meaningful way. A cancer patient's journey is a massive challenge; trying to get help should not be.

To register: ​https://runsignup.com/Race/ME/Waterville/TrekforLife5K

The fourth annual Quarry Road Summer Race Series kicks off on Tuesday, June 7, with a 3K trail race at Watervillle’s Quarry Road Trails.

The series, a favorite amongst local runners, offers weekly races most Tuesday nights, starting on June 7 and continuing through August 16. Races start at 6 p.m. and distances alternate between 3K, 5K, and 8K. Free weekly fun runs for youth 12 and under are held at 5:30 p.m.

Runners can pre-register online for the entire nine-race series for $35 at www.quarryroadraces.com/registration.html

Runners also can register for individual races for $5 the day of starting at 5 p.m.  All race proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA of Greater Waterville.

Last summer, more than 250 runners participated in the series. Numbers are expected to rise in 2016, according to Race Director Patrick Guerette, who organizes the series with support from the Central Maine Striders running club.

“We’re fortunate to have access to such an amazing facility right in our backyard,” said Guerette of the Quarry Road multi-use trails. “Each year runners bring more and more friends to the series to try it out. They have a great time, and keep coming back.”

Each week the overall Male and Female finishers will receive a gift card from that week’s race sponsor. 2016 sponsors include The End Zone, Selah Tea, Downtown Smoothie, It's A Good Pizza, and Big G’s Deli.

Series runners also compete for Overall and Age Group awards sponsored by New Balance, with their best time at each of the three distances (3K, 5K, and 8K) totaled into the overall standings.

​Fun run sponsor Inland Hospital provides healthy prizes for each youth that finishes the weekly fun run.

“The series is a great way to get in a workout with other runners from around Central Maine on some beautiful trails,” said Brendan Gilpatrick, Central Maine Striders club vice president.

“The Quarry Road trail races are fun, family-friendly, and welcoming for runners of all abilities,” said Alicia MacLeay, a Central Maine Striders board member and series participant. “And the trails add an extra level of interest and challenge. You’ll see everyone out there from kids completing their first race to top local runners blazing down the trails.”

Series Schedule
Featured races start at 6 p.m. Day-of registration opens at 5 p.m. Kids fun runs start at 5:30 p.m.
 
June 7: 3K
June 14: 5K
June 21: 8K
June 28: Makeup or Course Previews
July 5: 3K
July 12: 5K
July 19: 8K
July 26: Makeup or Course Previews
August 2: 8K
August 9: 5K
August 16: 3K & Awards
August 23: Makeup or Course Previews

For more info on the Quarry Road Summer Race Series, please visit www.quarryroadraces.com.
###
 
Contact: Patrick Guerette_
207-873-0684
pguerette@alfondyouthcenter.org
www.quarryroadraces.com
​

Run and shoot paintballs in a fun family-friendly event to support the Central Maine Ski Club on Saturday, November 7.

Paintball 5K Run Biathlon
​Saturday, November 7
Quarry Road Trails Recreation Area, Waterville

9 -10:30 a.m. Check-in and registration
9:30-10:30 a.m. Target range open for practice (paintball guns and instruction provided)
10:30 a.m. Run biathlon with two shooting sessions (distance and start times vary by category)
Adult and high school students run 5K; grades 5-8 run 3K; grades 1-4 run 1.5K; kindergarten and younger run 1K.

Registration fee: $10 youths and $15 adults ($5 added to fee for day of event registration). All proceeds benefit the Central Maine Ski Club.

The paintball biathlon is part of the Quarry Road Fall Festival happening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fall festival events will include trail walks, dryland dog sledding and fat bike demos, a hay bale maze, pumpkin bowling, family orienteering, face painting, and hot cider and refreshments.

Central Maine Ski Club is looking for volunteers for the biathlon (setup, timing, course monitors, registration, etc.) and the fall festival. Contact Caroline Mathes for more info (cmmathes@colby.edu).

To pre-register for the biathlon (encouraged), please visit: 
​https://www.skireg.com/cmsc-5k-trail-run-and-paintball-run-biathlon

For more info: 207-397-3477 or www.centralmaineskiclub.org

Join us for the third annual Ron Paquette 5K on Sunday, August 2, at 7:30 a.m. in Skowhegan.

This 5K race is held in honor of our own Ron Paquette, a lifetime athlete, native Mainer, and longtime Striders member who embodies the true runner's spirit of dedication and sportsmanship. Ron is a member of the Maine Running Hall of Fame and the Skowhegan Sports Hall of Fame.

Proceeds from this year's 5K race will benefit both the Somerset County Humane Society and the ACS McRunners (Athens Community School's new running club).

Ron Paquette 5K
When: Sunday, August 2, 2015
Where: Farmer's Market Site, Skowhegan, Maine
(Somerset Gristmill on corner of Court and High streets behind Hight Chevrolet)
Race time: 7:30 a.m.
Registration begins at: 6 a.m. (pre-registration available, download form below)

For more info:
rpr5k.weebly.com
Kate Cooley (207) 416-5426 or yiddlek@hotmail.com
Kassie Dwyer (207) 356-7082 or LoveMoo11@gmail.com

Register Today (print and mail in PDF below):

Congratulations to Jimmy Minieri (22:48) and Stephanie LeBlanc (25:07) who led the pack to win the HVWA and L.N. Clark Inspiration Network Run/Walk for Life 5K. The race was held May 9 in Waterville and started at Thomas College.

The 5th annual event benefited Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, which serves 27 communities in Central Maine and  provide non-medical support to individuals and their families during the last phases of life. The race also benefited the L.N. Clark Inspiration Network, which helps Maine cancer patients and their families.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support this Striders race organized by long-time club members and race directors Jerry Saint Amand and Donnajean Pohlman.