Half Marathon Added to Mount Greylock Ramble Weekend
ADAMS, Mass. — The Ramble is growing.
Each year hundreds of visitors and residents climb to the top of the state's highest mountain on Columbus Day weekend as part of the Mount Greylock Ramble. In 2012, the Pro Adams group tacked on the Ramblefest festival featuring live music, food and drinks, and a bonfire — a replication of the Thunderfest held in conjunction with the Thunderbolt Ski Run. Ramblefest is the party on the Sunday before the hike.
Now, add a half marathon.
The Berkshire Running Center has teamed up with Pro Adams to put on the inaugural "Ramblefest Half Marathon." Runners will end the race at the Visitors Center the morning of Ramblefest and join the festivities.
Kent and Shiobbean Lemme of the Berkshire Running Center said they were looking to put on a race in the fall and Pro Adams wanted to add more to the Ramblefest so "it kind of fit together."
"We really wanted to put on a full marathon in the fall," Kent Lemme said, adding that after looking at courses, they determined it was too much to manage and ultimately the running center opted "not to reinvent the wheel."
The Steel Rail Half Marathon had 710 finishers just over three weeks ago in its fourth year. That race attracts runners from out of town, giving a boost to the economy, and offers a chance to qualify for some of the more difficult full marathon. The race concludes at the Adams Visitors Center with live music and food and drink vendors.
The Steel Rail has been growing in reputation as both a well managed race and a fast race because of the mostly flat course — and the hope is to grow the competitive level for it.
"My goal was to bring people from outside of the Berkshires here and with the Steel Rail we are finally started to get there," Kent Lemme said. "People are starting to travel to come here and do it."
The course starts at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Route 8 and follows the Ashulwilticook Rail Trail. In the fall, the same exact course will be run in the inaugural Ramblefest half marathon — this time ending with the more robust party being put on by Pro Adams.
"Our race is a great chance to get a PR for your half," Shiobbean Lemme said.
On the other side of bringing people into the county, she said it also keeps people from here in town during the long holiday weekend. Local runners had out of the area for sell-out races that weekend; the new half marathon gives them an opportunity to compete here.
Additionally, there is an 8K race being added with runners starting from the trail from Church Street in Cheshire and ending at Ramblefest.
"There are a billion 5Ks, this would pose a little bit more of a challenge than a 5K," Kent Lemme said.
Registration for the races has opened, with those who finished the Steel Rail being offered a registration discount and the opportunity to receive a special hooded sweat shirt for finishing both half-marathons. Everybody who registers will receive a long-sleeved shirt and finishers receive a medal.
"My goal for today was I wanted to get 100 people registered," Shiobbean Lemme said the day registration opened and the day ended exceeding that number.
The half marathon has a cap of 750 runners and the 8K race has a cap of 200 runners.
"You don't want it to be too congested," Shiobbean Lemme said.
The race will also have sponsorship opportunities for businesses, which in turn will receive registrations, name listed on the shirt and website, and other promotional material. All of proceeds will be given to the Berkshire Scenic Railway, the nonprofit that operates scenic train rides between Adams and North Adams.
"I like the concept of having a local scenic railway. I think it'll be good for the Adams economy," Kent Lemme said.
Further, the Berkshire Running Center is offering a 10-week training program starting at the end of July. Each Saturday morning the training group will be upping the distance progressively, and concluding with the half marathon.
While the template may be the same as in the spring, the autumn leaves and decrease in humidity will make it "look like a different race than it did in May," Shiobbean Lemme said.
Tags: half marathon, Mount Greylock, Ramblefest, running,
