Cancelled Event
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
Proceeds and Donations
All proceeds and donations incurred from the half marathon are being collected to obtain a memorial bench dedicated to Al. We are working with SVT and hope to secure the bench at one of the best views on course, the summit of Cedar Hill! Your participation and contributions are greatly appreciated!
Garmin Link
Strava Link
Course Description
Al's Mammoth half marathon will take you through the pine covered trails of the Crane Swamp and Sawink Farm reservation through the Cedar Hill and Westborough Wildlife management through a cow tunnel and around the Chauncy Lake trails. This course will give you some good climbs (1000' elevation gain), single and double track pine covered trails, some water crossings and beautiful views. When you're done feel free to cool off in the lake!
Our Friend Al
Al Del Re was half dreamer and half P.T. Barnum but when it came to having fun he was always 110%. In late 2011 he started his own running club after watching a Youtube video on the Hash House Harriers. Three months later he convinced my chubby mid-forty butt to try running.
As anyone who knew him would tell you he loved to try new things. We made dozens of runs and races together but one of my favorites was the Mammoth. We ran a lot of miles and disagreed about many parts of the course but it went well. Marking 13 plus miles of trail in the middle of summer wasn’t exactly fun but we always wanted to do it again. After we lost Al last fall I thought about doing something to remember him and it was the first thing that came to my mind. Al and I had joined the Highland City Striders together and when I asked the Striders what they thought about bringing it back they went all in.
So when you think about the course, as you run remember the man who did crazy stuff like hike the A.T. solo, held red dress charity runs, gained 20 pounds so we could run Big Man together, invented a run that went from pool to pool around town, and one of my favorites the adult beverage fueled marathon complete with a limo to bring you to different sections. Most of all have fun, that’s what he would want.
So thanks Al (and Jodi for letting him be himself) and enjoy the trail I laid out to honor the man who inspired me and many others to get out and have fun.
Dan S.
Water Stops and Aid Stations
This will be a CUPLESS event! We are all about keeping our trails pristine and beautiful and to help with that we will be minimizing the amount of trash we produce. So please bring a water bottle, a hydration pack or a collapsible cup to re-hydrate along the way. There will be 3 aid stations. The first will be near mile 3, water only. The second will be mile ~6.5 and will be stocked with water, Gatorade and Cliff Shots or Gu. The third will be near mile 10.5 and will have water and Gatorade. We will have water at the finish and some lights snacks for all participants.
Race Day Logistics
Registration Opens at 8AM - Use address 10 Hospital Rd., Westborough, entrance is adjacent to this house. This is a cup-less race and over some fun but challenging terrain. Everyone should carry at least one small bottle of water with them to refill at the aid stations as needed. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated!!!
Walk to start 7:45AM - it will be a short walk (~0.25mi) to the start, we will walk over as a group, cross Lyman Street and begin the race at 8AM.
Summer in New England - per guidelines set by the DCR, SVT and Westborough Parks and Recreation we are unable to alter any of the trails as they are laid out - you will encounter tall grass, downed trees and some swampy sections, fun! Bugs pray will be necessary to keep off ticks and mosquitos - we will have a limited number of deer fly traps available to runners as well. If you are highly prone to getting poison ivy (like me!) please wear compression sleeves or long socks, plus you'll look super cool.
Aid Stations - All stations will be stocked with water. The aid station at the 1/2 way point will have Gatorade, water and granola bars. Please do not liter on course, we will have small bins available at the 1/2 way point for any trash you may need to dispose of.
Finish - Congratulations, you just finished a super awesome 1/2 marathon! Feel free to bring a towel and take a soak in Lake Chauncy to cool off those calves and quads. We will have post race food and refreshments for for all finishers. We also have some very nice volunteers who have medical background if anyone needs minor attention.
Event's current local time: 8:02 PM ET