Bangers Blog

The Holiday Poem, 2017 edition

Wed, 20 Dec 2017 12:48:37 GMT

'Twas the week before Christmas, and across from the Y,
The Bangers were gathered—some humans, plus Sky.
They all counted down, then they took to their feet,
To piss off the people on Washington Street.

The runners, they sprinted like inmates on furlough,
In the neon-green singlets they’d ordered from Zurlo.
They had only nine months to prepare for the day,
When the Bangers would host the World’s Greatest 5K.

Then down in Oak Square there arose such a clatter,
It was nearly enough to stop Jamison’s chatter.
The noise was so great that they almost fell over,
What they thought was an elf? It was only Em Grover.

The events of that night took away all their breath,
“It was awesome! So bangin’!” rapped Captain Seth.
And what to their wandering eyes had appeared,
But gift cards from Wegmans, and a ton of free beer.

From a little old driver, so lively and quick,
We knew in a moment—he could dance just like Nick.
Though more rapid than eagles, he pulled to a stop.
And we finally saw: It was Mike from the Drop!

He shook when he laughed, like the bowl full of jelly

That had come with his cinnamon toast at Jim’s Deli.

And he gestured us in, to enjoy a fresh beer,

And discuss all the highlights of the just-ending year.

Sometimes our sweet hobby seemed sort of a pain,

Like while running through Cambridge in pouring-down rain.

But Jerry and his helpers made sure we didn’t fade.

Why, before they were through, they had gotten us lei’d!

We’d all shown up weekly, it was almost a spree,

To see who could conquer the Bangers Grand Prix.

Or who’d win the beer mile, running fast as a comet

While trying to not leave a trail of vomit.

Our Saturday mornings, all year, were so merry,

Thanks to long runs from Oak Square, led promptly by Kerry.

But if you went slow, or dared to be sassy,

You wouldn’t get invited to breakfast with Cassie.

The night was so joyous, they all were in thrall,
It was just like that bash in the garage at the mall.
And visions they dreamed, as the happiness raged,
Of even more Bangers becoming engaged.

There’d been parties galore, and music to stomp to,
And occasional bar nights (but those were impromptu).
It had been a great year, they’d all had lots of laughs,
Running dozens of marathons, and hundreds of halfs.

So they sprang from the square, feeling newly alive,
And each one, when they finished, got a high five.
Then they came back inside, on this evening so bright,
Merry Christmas to the Bangers, and to all a fast night!

November 6, 2017

Tue, 07 Nov 2017 13:10:25 GMT

.The Bangers continue to crush the fall racing season! Last weekend, Ruby E Perlmutter ran the Cape Cod Marathon, completing her first road marathon. Bobby McDonough also ran the Loco Marathon in Newmarket, New Hampshire last weekend and set a new personal record. Tess Harvey knocked out yet another ultra at the Stone Cat 50-Miler in Ipswich! Just this weekend, the Bangers were represented at the New York City Marathon by Em Grover (running her 11th marathon!), Tony Chin (10th marathon!) Keara Thomas (a speedy first marathon!), and Mark Zurlo (with a PR!). Yesterday, Kate Mroz ran the Colt State Park Half Marathon in Rhode Island, also for a PR! And finally, Jenna Castro rocked the Battlegreen 10K in Lexington yesterday, with a first-in-division win.

IF YOU HAVE RACE RESULTS and have not yet submitted them (even if you were mentioned above), please submit them here.

The Grand Prix is NOT totally up to date (we need your submissions), but as of the last update, Kerry Phelan and Mark Zurlo are in the leads, with Em Grover and Bobby McDonough close behind. We are SO CLOSE to our goal of 150 total participants - currently at 143. Let's get to 150!!

There are only a few more Grand Prix races left this year, so if you have your eye on a shiny Banger trophy, don't forget to sign up and add your name here.|
Coming up next is the Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday 11/19. We have a huge team of runners at this one - enough for a VIP beer tent, so if you're on the fence, there is one more reason to sign up! We also have a team of volunteers managing a water stop (and cheering) at this race; if you're interested in volunteering, more info is here

The final races of the year are both holiday 5Ks in December: the Winter Classic (Sunday, 12/3) and Yulefest (Sunday, 12/10). These are both great races and we usually have a good showing of Bangers at both every year, so don't miss them! FB events for Yulefest here, and for the Winter Classic here.

October 25, 2017

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:41:31 GMT

The Grand Prix is updated! What an amazing group we have!

At the Marine Corps Marathon this past weekend, @Kerry Phelan ran a BQ, and Declan Healy, Anne Marie Mc Donnell, and Bethany Crowe all ran great races as well!

Meanwhile, at the Bimbler's Bluff 50K (that's 31 burly miles y'all) in Connecticut, Maureen McCaffrey ran her first ever ultra-marathon and Jeremy Shaw ran his first official ultra this year after making his ultra debut last year! Hard to believe that just two years ago, there were two Bangers who had ever run an ultra...and now I've lost count how many!

Speaking of Ultras, Back on 9/30, Tess Harvey ran the TARC Fall Classic 50K! So many ultras!

Two weeks ago, Ryan Wexler ran his first marathon on Mount Desert Island from Bar Harbor, Maine. Sexy Wexy showing how it's done with a rock-solid 3:30 debut!

Going international (the race is half in the United States and half in Canada), Evan Weinberg ran his first marathon in Niagra Falls! Way to go Evan!

Also this past weekend, Jennifer Myers ran the Newburyport Half for her first half!

Also nice job to everyone who ran our October team race, the OAKtoberfest 5K in Oak Square! Too bad they didn't do a team award or we totally woulda won! Mark Zurlo took fourth overall with a PR, Mark Hagopian got fifth overall, and Theresa Donohoe ran a great race too!

The standings are shaking up! Mo McCaffrey rockets into the top five for the first time ever, as does Evan! Keep up the great work!

Three team races left for the year! Cambridge Half, Cambridge Clasic 5K, and Yulefest! Sign up today and run with the group! Let's finish the year strong! Amazing job everyone!!!

October 14, 2017

Sun, 15 Oct 2017 21:41:06 GMT

The Grand Prix results are up to date. Check them out here!

Currently in the top five places for women are Kerry Phelan, Em Grover, Jenna Castro, Cassie Why, and Jonna Green! In the men's division, Bobby McDonough is in the lead followed closely by Mark Zurlo, then Mark Hagopian, Seth Wolfman, and Patrick McMahon. We're also closing in on our team goals for the year!! The goal is to have 150 participants in the Grand Prix, and we are at 142 right now! Everyone's races count towards the team goals, so please submit them.

If you raced this weekend (or anytime recently), don't forget to submit your results here.

Congratulations to everyone who ran marathons and half marathons the last couple weeks! This was A LOT of people: in Chicago, the Bangers crew was enormous and included Kara Huselton (PR!), Maggie Ginn, Patrick Rooney (BQ!), Tess Harvey, Seth Wolfman, Danny Arias (first marathon!), Cassie Why (first marathon!), Jared A Bartlett (PR!), Chris Chavez (first marathon!), Jonna Green, Jenn McBride (PR!), Megan Smith, Mark Hagopian, Ainsley Wolfe, and Kim Hill, with Kathryn Elizabeth and Jessica O'Neil cheering them on!

On the same day, Jenna Castro and Erik Hinrichsen ran the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon and Half Marathon in Albany, NY, for Jenna's third marathon (all within the last year!) and ninth place overall for Erik in the half! Also last weekend, Elyse Marie and Patrick McMahon both ran the BAA Half Marathon (if there were more Bangers there, please submit results)! And two weeks ago, Kylee Jay and Bobby McDonough ran the Smuttynose Rockfest half marathon in Hampton, NH, each setting a new PR.

In very recent news (i.e. TODAY), Evan Weinberg ran his first marathon at the Niagara Falls Marathon, where runners venture all the way into Canada! Ryan Wexler also ran a negative-split marathon at the very hilly Mount Desert Island Marathon in Maine this morning. Closer to home, Em Grover, Theresa Donohoe, Mark Hagopian, and Mark Zurlo all ran the Oaktoberfest 5k right in Oak Square. Congrats to Mark Zurlo on a PR and first place in division, Theresa on third place in division, and Mark Hagopian on second place in division (even though he was already on his way to run his second 5k of the day by then). Yesterday, Jon Marcus was second in his division in the Red Bandanna 5K in Chestnut Hill, and Kate Mroz also ran great back-to-back races both yesterday at the Play Brigade 5k in Cambridge, and the previous weekend at the Somerville Homeless Coalition 5K!

This is probably the biggest fall race season that the Bangers have ever had and it's pretty amazing to see how much this club has grown over the years! Congratulations everybody :)

If you are racing...let us know!! Submit here.

May 2, 2017

Wed, 03 May 2017 11:08:48 GMT

We've had a ton of racing and also several announcements over the last couple weeks! 29 Bangers came out to Andover for the Run for the Troops 5K last Sunday, including Kerry Phelan, Jonna Green, Jackie Crain, Doug Nickel, Jared Bartlett (PR!), Chris Seero (PR!), Em Grover, Tony Chin, Roux Chin, Mark Zurlo, Layla Ferland (PR!), Patrick McMahon, Theresa Donohoe, Jenna Castro (PR!), Hanna Sobon (PR!), Kevin Koncilja (PR!), Cassie Yeancades, Elyse Archila, Jerry Shaw, Kate Sylvia, and Meredith Tuite. Jared Bartlett also ran the James Joyce Ramble 10K, an awesome race from the Grand Prix last year. Kyle Dooley ran the Run for Charlotte 5K in Braintree, and Kyle Brown ran the Ocean City Island to Island half marathon, both for PR's as well!

SUBMIT RACE RESULTS HERE: http://bit.ly/bangerresults

Our next two Grand Prix races are both in June:

On June 10th-11th, the North Face Endurance Challenge trail races are taking place at Wachusett Mountain! There are a variety of distances from 5K to 50 miles, and the races are spread out over both days. This is a great opportunity to challenge yourself for a PL or try trail racing for the first time!

Also happening on Saturday, June 10th is the annual 26x1 Club Challenge Relay. We had two Bangers teams last year, for a total of 52 runners. We're hoping to do the same this year!! Registration isn't open yet, but you can join the Facebook event here for more information when it's available: https://www.facebook.com/events/288543104930397/288567088261332/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity&notif_id=1493759792364859

Don't miss this race - it's one of the best of the year, and we need as many runners as possible!!

Full list of Grand Prix races and more information on them: http://bit.ly/bangersraces17

Last weekend, the Bangers volunteered at the CWRA Earth Day Charles River Cleanup. Theresa Donohoe organized this awesome event, and 15 Bangers came out to help clean up a section of the Charles near Artesani Park in Brighton!

Finally, track workouts are coming back for the summer! Thank you Tess Harvey for getting them started again today. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for future Tuesday track plans.

See you all tomorrow for some Wednesday miles and beers!

Bangers Blog: April 21, 2017

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 11:51:30 GMT

Post-Boston Banger Update!

Huge congratulations to all of the Bangers who ran the Boston Marathon on Monday: Bobby McDonough, Laura Huselton, Melody Mallozzi, Meghan Burns, Declan Healy, Seth Wolfman, Patrick McMahon, Em Grover, Mark Zurlo, Rachel Silverman, Mark Hagopian, and Kevin Koncilja. All of you did a fantastic job on Monday and it was so great seeing you at Bangers cheer stations! Collectively through the 2017 Boston Marathon, Bangers raised more than $68,900 for charity organizations, and that is amazing.

In other April racing news, we had a full weekend of 5Ks with Jess O'Neill running the Prison Break Dash in Lorton, VA; Kylee Drugan-Eppich at the Marina's Miles 5K in Durham, NH; Kyle Dooley at the Sprint 4 Super Saturdays 5k in Braintree; and Elyse Archila at the Dean Dash in Franklin, MA. Congrats Jess on the 5K PR!

If you've been racing, please submit your results! http://bit.ly/bangerresults

We have a Grand Prix race coming up this Sunday at the Run for the Troops 5k! The bus leaves from Oak Square at 7 AM. There's space on the bus if anyone who's not running wants to come anyway!

The next upcoming Grand Prix race is the North Face Endurance Challenge the weekend of June 10-11 at Wachusett Mountain. This is ALL trail races, with distances ranging from 5K to 50 miles. It's a great way to try your first trail race or ultra!

Also in June is the annual 26x1 Club Challenge Relay! We're still awaiting info on a date...but keep it in mind, because you won't want to miss it. More info coming soon.

You can see the full list of Grand Prix races here. Add your name when you sign up! http://bit.ly/bangersraces17

(Points are not yet updated with all April races)

Tomorrow (Saturday) join us for a four-mile Donut Run to Union Square Donuts in Brookline! Meet at 9:30 AM in Oak Square. Thanks Jonna for organizing! https://www.facebook.com/events/192495461256062/

Next weekend, the Bangers are volunteering at the Charles River Watershed Association's Earth Day Cleanup. This is happening next Saturday from 9 AM - 12 PM and is organized by Theresa Donohoe! More info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1442672809110148/

Happy Friday and Bang On Bangers!

Bangers Blog: March 18, 2017

Sat, 18 Mar 2017 21:19:24 GMT

Just finished up a HUGE Grand Prix update! bit.ly/bangersraces17 We had our biggest group ever (42!) for a race that wasn't the Bangers 5K or the 26x1 relay. Very impressive for a feels-like-minus-10-degree day in March! Congrats to: Hanna Sobon, for her first ever 5K and the Bangers' first Personal Longest race of the year! Fall marathon, Hanna? ;) Personal 5K records for Jaclyn Crain, Jamie Henry, Sarah Hammond, Ruby E Perlmutter, and Mark Hagopian. That's some cold PR'ing! 2nd place 3-person team award earned by Bobby McDonoughh (2nd place overall), Kerry Phelan, and Mark Hagopian. Feel free to drink from the victory cup at the Drop any time! Grand Prix '17 debuts for defending champ Cassie Yeancades, Wendy Recine, Jessica O'Neil, Layla Ferland, Meaghan Reddy, Kate Sylvia, Alexis Hanley, Kate Ho, Kara Huselton, Laura Huselton, Kara Mazzotta, Jen Mitton, Jamie Henry, Sarah Hammond, Ruby Perlmutter, Hanna Sobon, Kelly Muskopf, Megan Schliep, Aaron McCall, Kyle Brown, Justin Voldman, Jared Bartlett, Shane McGann, Ryan Wexler, Andrew Malkin, Bryan Goldmsith, and Dean Moreton. See you all at another race soon! Remember, EVERY race you do counts towards our Grand Prix team goals and individual standings! Submit your results throughout the year! Submit a Result: bit.ly/bangerresults Bangers Grand Prix Guidelines: bit.ly/bangersgrandprix COMING UP: Tomorrow, Sunday, 3/19: Bangers Janji Run! 10 a.m.at Janji Store, 328 Newbury St. https://www.facebook.com/events/618549725005746/ We are joining up with the Janji Boston pop-up store to host a Bangers x Janji run, launching from their shop on Newbury St! The run will be an easy 5 miles. Janji is graciously providing us with breakfast foods, storewide 15 percent off for all Bangers for that day, AND they will raffle off one item from the store of your choice to any Banger in attendance (one raffle ticket per Banger)! Sunday 4/23 Run for the Troops 5K http://runforthetroops5k.com We have a FREE bus to and from this race from Oak Square! We need two more people to join to get our club name on the shirts too! Let's rock it! May 12-13 RAGNAR Cape Cod Relay https://www.runragnar.com/event-detail/relay/capecod Three spots left for the most fun you can have in 24 hours! It's 200 miles, 12 best friends, two vans, one crazy awesome time! Email sethwolfman@gmail.com for details, or just Venmo $299 to Seth-Wolfman to grab a spot before they're gone! June 10, 11: Northface Endurance Challenge. https://www.thenorthface.com/get-outdoors/endurance-challenge/massachusetts.html Gorgeous new trail races of EVERY distance! Join the team and take on a beautiful new challenge! OTHER NEWS: The Boston Marathon is coming up! We have 11 registered Bangers! Be sure to follow them on your app and donate to those who are fundraising! See the list at bit.ly/bangersmarathons HubRunner TV https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaVAx_paiNmdjW_kr8viOxQ HubRunner TV is a new TV show all about running in the Hub, started by Seth Wolfman, airing on Cambridge Community Television! All episodes also posted to YouTube. Check out the latest episode starring our very own Jonna Green talking about starting her own marathon charity team for Parkinson's Place! That's all for now! Bang on, Bangers! :)

Bangers Blog: February 7, 2017

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:05:07 GMT

2017 Bangers racing is starting to take off! Back at the end of January, Mark Hagopian ran the Resolution Run to Kick Cancer 5k in Lexington, and Kerry Phelan raced her first 15k at The Great Stew Chase in Peabody. And last weekend on Superbowl Sunday, Jackie Crain, Mark Hagopian, Mark Zurlo, Declan Healy, Em Grover, Sierra Parker, Patrick McMahon, Justin Voldman, and Jamie Lightfoot pre-gamed football with the Super Sunday 5-miler in Cambridge!

SUBMIT RACE RESULTS: http://bit.ly/bangerresults

And check out all our Grand Prix races here - add your name when you sign up! http://bit.ly/bangersraces

The next Grand Prix race coming up is HYANNIS on Sunday, February 26! At least 8 Bangers are already going. There is still time to sign up and you can pick your distance - 10K, half marathon, full marathon, and 4-person full marathon relay. This fills up so sign up soon!

We have 23 of the 25 runners needed for our VIP beer tent at the Craicfest 5k, our March Grand Prix race! It's on Sunday, 3/12, and is in fact pronounced "crack-fest." Sign up soon to get us to 25!!! You can also check out the team list and our beer tent status here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1r3HnW7K8JiRgdL-vJGZOIKZWpLjCPrceySjMYs2KzuY/edit#gid=0

Our April race is the Run for the Troops 5k in Andover, MA. We have a FREE bus transporting us to and from this event (thanks Kerry Phelan), and if we get 25 runners to sign up, we will get race shirts with the Bangers team name on the sleeve!

And also in April, we have nine Bangers running the Boston Marathon, eight of whom are fundraising! Check out the list here to support your fellow runners and some great charities - http://bit.ly/bangersrunboston

Bangers Blog: The Bang-quet

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 13:49:34 GMT

See photos of the Bang-quet here.

Hey Bangers!

ICYMI or ICYWTBTDTR (in case you were there but too drunk to remember), here are ALL of the award winners at the 2017 Bang-quet!

Club Awards:
~ Leadership Award - Alex Bothner
~ Team Builder - Mark Zurlo, Jennifer Daley
~ Community Service - Jeremy Shaw
~ Most Dedicated - Jon Marcus
~ Most Improved Runner - Declan Healy, Jonna Green

Grand Prix Winners:
~ Doggy Division Top-3: Sky (Tess Harvey), Roux (Tony Chin), Zeke (Melody Mallozzi, Kevin Mallozzi)
~ Women’s Top-5: Cassie Yeancades, Em Grover, Jonna Green, Elyse Archila, Tess Harvey
~ Men’s Top-5: Bobby McDonough, Mark Zurlo, Jerry Shaw, Mark Hagopian, Declan Healy

Grand Prix Awards:
~ First marathons: Bobby McDonough, Jonna Green, Alex Bothner, Maggie Ginn, Jenna Castro, Declan Healy, Mark Zagata, Kara Huselton, Kerry Phelan, Kate Mroz, Theresa Donohoe, Linda Liao, Nat Schils, Allison Lorenc, Michelle Landry
~ First Half-Ironman: Laura Duffy
~ First Ultramarathons: Jerry Shaw, Seth Wolfman, Kylee Druggan-Eppich, Ruby E Perlmutter, Aaron McCall
~ Most completions: Tony Chin 26, Patrick McMahon 25
~ Most Marathons: Kevin Koncilja 7
~ Most PR's: Mark Zurlo 8, Em Grover 8

Superlatives:
~ Life of the Party: Cassie Yeancades, Jamison Bundy
~ Best Dancer: Nick Stahl, Mariah Bundy
~ Class Couple: Andrew Malkin and Meaghan Reddy
~ Unsung Hero: Gregory Niforos
~ Best Party House: Dirty 30 (Peter LeBlanc, Jonny Page, Jamison Bundy, Anthony DiMarsico)
~ Most Likely to Get Lost While Running: Kerry Phelan
~ Most Likely to Skip Running and Go Straight to The Drop: Kathryn Sylvia, Mike Hanold
~ Most Likely to Get Kicked Out of the Drop: Meredith Tuite
~ Last Drop’s Best Customer: Aaron McCall
~ Most Likely to Talk About Wegman’s: Jared A Bartlett, Meghan Burns
~ Most Talkative: Kara Huselton, Jon Marcus
~ Badass of the Year: Patrick McMahon, Tess Harvey
~ Most Enthusiastic Banger: Em Grover, Seth Wolfman
~ Best Fanny Pack: Jenna Castro
~ Best to Take Home to Mom and Dad: Maggie Ginn, Ryan Wexler

In the end, we are ALL winners in this group! :)

Bangers Blog: January 16, 2017

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 13:47:53 GMT

Happy New Year, Bangers! 2016 was a great year for our club, with many new members, lots of first half, full, and ultra-marathons, TONS of PRs, and the first-ever appearance of a Bangers singlet on national TV (thanks Patrick McMahon)! You have all accomplished so much and it has been so exciting to watch it happen. I can't wait to see what all of you do in 2017!

Our official first Grand Prix race of the year was today at the Winter Warlock in Plymouth. Congrats to Will Lapsley who (to my knowledge) was the only Banger who ran the race! If I missed anyone who did run this, please correct me, AND submit your results: bit.ly/bangerresults

If you would like to start catching up to Will's lead in the 2017 Grand Prix, we have more races coming up! Next is the Hyannis Road Race series, which has multiple distances including a 10K, half marathon, full marathon, or four-person full marathon relay teams (6.5 miles per leg). We already have a bunch of Bangers, including at least one relay team, signed up for this! The races are all on Sunday, February 26th and start at 10 AM.

After that is CRAICFEST, the legendary St. Paddy's-themed 5K on Sunday, March 12th in Kendall Square! This is a great course and, as always, ends in a huge after-party in the CambridgeSide Galleria parking garage. If we get enough people we will get a VIP beer tent, so....do it!

All 2017 Grand Prix races are here - add your name when you sign up: bit.ly/bangersraces17

Thank you Seth Wolfman for once again building this monster of a spreadsheet to track all of our team races and points!

See you all at the Bang-quet!!

Bangers Blog: The Christmas Poem

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:05:38 GMT

The runners, they sprinted like inmates on furlough,
In the neon-green shirts that they’d ordered from Zurlo.
They had only nine months to prepare for the day,
When the Bangers would host the World’s Greatest 5K.

The events of that night took away all their breath,
“It was awesome! So bangin’!” exclaimed Captain Seth.
And what to their wandering eyes had appeared,
But gift cards from Wegmans, and a ton of free beer.

From a little old driver, so lively and quick,
We knew in a moment—he could dance just like Nick.
Though more rapid than eagles, he pulled to a stop.
And we finally saw: It was Mike from the Drop!

The night was so joyous, they all were in thrall,
It was just like that bash in the garage at the mall.
And visions they dreamed, as the happiness raged,
Of even more Bangers becoming engaged.

Bangers Blog: December 8, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:02:31 GMT

Good morning Bangers!

There were a LOT of 5k's this week! At the Cambridge Winter Classic on Sunday we had a big group of Bangers including Bobby McDonough, Jeremy Shaw, Jon Marcus, Chris Seero, Elyse Archila, Jackie Crain, Jonna Green, Seth Wolfman, Laura Huselton, Em Grover, Mark Zurlo, Mark Zagata, Ryan Wexler, Nick Stahl, Rachel Wilkinson, Dan Costa, Greg Niforos, Theresa Donohoe, Maureen McCaffrey, and Wendy Recine! Extra congrats to Jonna and Chris for their PRs!!!

Patrick McMahon and Kevin Koncilja ran the Chill Classic 5k in Boston on the same day, with a PR for Kevin, while Sarah Kruyer ran and also PR'd the Reindeer Fun Run all the way in North Carolina!

If I missed you or your PR, PLEASE SUBMIT your results! (Gotta have everything in before Bang-quet!) http://bit.ly/bangerresults

Also, check out the Grand Prix points - Jeremy Shaw and Mark Zurlo are separated by LESS THAN HALF A POINT for men's second place! It's getting intense!

Next Wednesday is our holiday caroling bar crawl run. This was an awesome time last year so please come! We will run to 3 bars in Brighton to drink beer and serenade unsuspecting bystanders. Bring your ID! We're also introducing something new this year: as a group, the Bangers are sponsoring a family at the South Boston Neighborhood House to provide Christmas gifts to 3 kids ages 8, 3, and 6 months. If you want to donate an item, the request list is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Kcv9qcka_vel3eBF3jxCc0kymwHwWFl4JjldwM9ihC4/edit

Items can be brought to next Wednesday's run or dropped off to Em or Meghan (both in Brighton).

FB event for the caroling run: https://www.facebook.com/events/537414649795475/?active_tab=about

Our last Grand Prix race of the year is a week from this Sunday at the Somerville Jingle Bell 5k! This is always a great race with 18 (!) Davis Square bars and restaurants opening up to serve free beer to runners at the end. We have a group of about 12 so far but there's still time to sign up!

FINALLY....

It's time to introduce the 2017 Third Annual Brighton Bangers Grand Prix!! For those of you who joined recently, the Grand Prix is a system for tracking everyone's races and accomplishments throughout the year, organizing team races, and assigning points. We aim for one team race each month, but other races count towards your points too!

This year's Grand Prix features a bunch of repeat races from this year that were all a hit, along with some new ones throughout the year. So...you can start planning your 2017 race schedule now!

The GP itself is here (check out the 2017 tab at the bottom - we're still in 2016): http://bit.ly/bangersraces

If you have any questions about how it all works, check out the very helpful rules here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1svVW1ICxl6plsLjB_6iukEn0fcgm1LL014Y4gNUZszM/edit

Bang On Bangers!

Bangers Blog: November 23, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:01:45 GMT

Congratulations to all of our Philadelphia Marathon runners last weekend! We had an awesome representation of Bangers there including Jeremy Shaw, Em Grover, Mark Zurlo, Patrick McMahon, Tony Chin, Allison Lorenc, Kevin Koncilja, and Jenna Castro. This was both Allison's and Jenna's first marathon!! It was also Kevin's seventh marathon THIS YEAR.

And in other marathon news, Sarah Kruyer ran her second marathon in Richmond last weekend too!

A very successful beer mile also took place last Saturday night. Race Director Bobby McDonough won the men's division with Rachel Wilkinson taking the (virtual) trophy for the women's! It seems that this was not the first beer mile for some Bangers, with both Bobby and Rachel as well as Danny Arias recording a PR for the race. Thank you Bobby for organizing the long-talked-about beer mile!

(If I missed anything from these races - please submit your results! http://bit.ly/bangerresults)

Please submit all of your turkey trot results from this week too!! And send me any photos you have of Bangers running turkey trots.

The Grand Prix is updated with all of the results that have been submitted - check it out here! http://bit.ly/bangersraces

There's still time to sign up for both of our winter 5k's in December. More info on both is in the roster.

And finally, Saturday runs. Hosting is fun!!! The run can be ANY distance and ANY route that you want to plan, and you also have the option of incorporating a fun theme, or just some food. Spreadsheet: https://bit.ly/satbang

Have a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING BANGERS!!

Bangers Blog: November 18, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:01:13 GMT

Congratulations to everyone who ran the Cambridge Half Marathon with the Bangers last weekend - Bobby McDonough (PR!), Amelia Hansen (PR!), Cassie Yeancades (PR!), Ryan Wexler, Jonna Green, Jen Daley (PR!), Patricia Daley (first half marathon!), Mark Zagata (PR!), Leandra Mansur (first half marathon!), Sierra Parker (PR!), Stacey Poltack (PR!), Elyse Archila, Jared Bartlett (PR!), Danny Arias (first half marathon!), Seth Wolfman, Kerry Phelan, Melody Mallozzi (PR!), Kara Huselton, Lauren Caputo, Jonny Rage (first half marathon!), Aaron McCall, Sami Rafai (first half marathon!), Mack Hebert, Jon Marcus, Jon Sabino, Kim Hill, and Kiley Bunce. This was the biggest team we've ever had at a half marathon, and there were a TON of PR's and first half marathons in the book! (If I missed your PR/PL, please submit your results!!!)

Another big congrats to Jess O'Neil who ran the Richmond Half Marathon last weekend, and also set a new PR!

Link to submit your results: http://bit.ly/bangerresults

This weekend, we are finally reaching the end of our LONG string of consecutive weekends of Bangers running marathons, half marathons, and ultras!! We have had an amazing season of training and racing this summer and fall, and it has been so cool and inspiring to see what everyone in this club is capable of achieving. Great job everyone and let's keep this up in the future!

The grand finale features Bethany Crowe, Allison Lorenc, Patrick McMahon, Jenna Castro, Jerry Shaw, Em Grover, Mark Zurlo, and Tony Chin at the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday. Good luck to all!!

We have two more Grand Prix races this year: the Winter Classic 5k (Sunday, 12/4) and the Somerville Jingle Bell 5k (Sunday, 12/18). Bangers teams have been created for both events, and both are always a blast! Add your name to the roster when you sign up: http://bit.ly/bangersraces

Please sign up to host Saturday runs! You pick the date, the distance, the route, and anything else you want to incorporate. The sign-up spreadsheet is here: https://bit.ly/satbang

This Saturday (tomorrow) meet at 9 am in Oak Square for a 10-mile long run. Based on interest and who shows up, we can add other distances too! FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/1248037038590992/?notif_t=plan_user_joined&notif_id=1479432770888757

Have a great weekend!

Bangers Blog: November 11, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 23:00:40 GMT

Quick update today!! Last weekend, seven Bangers ran the New York City Marathon including Ryan Wexler, Patrick McMahon, Mark Hagopian, Theresa Donohoe, Heather Rennie, Laura Huselton, and Michelle Landry. This race was a PR for both Laura and Ryan, as well as Michelle's first marathon (if I'm missing other PRs let me know!). It was also Patrick's nineteenth (19th) (yes) marathon, and he achieved serious Bangers fame by being on TV in his singlet!!! Go Bangers!!

The Grand Prix points have all been updated and you can check it out here: http://bit.ly/bangersraces We're down to only a few more weeks to earn points for 2016!! Registration is open for our two December races, the Winter Classic 5k (12/4) and Somerville Jingle Bell 5k (12/18). More info in the roster!

This Sunday we are bringing a HUGE group of 30+ Bangers to the inaugural Cambridge Half Marathon, right across the river. Good luck everyone!!

Saturday runs continue this weekend at 9:30 in Oak Square, with the normal river routes (3, 4.5, and 6 miles) that we usually do in the summer (FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/1643533062606718/1643825575910800/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity&notif_id=1478825501556934)

Please continue to sign up to lead Saturday runs - thank you Cassie, Jon, and Bobby for adding to this so far!! Pick a weekend and lead a run - can be any distance, route, brunch location etc that you want! https://bit.ly/satbang

Finally, here is your weekly reminder to get tickets to the Bang-quet, which is coming up on Saturday, January 21!

Bang-quet info-

The BANG-QUET includes:
~ Catered dinner from WEGMAN'S and Fiorella's!
~ Live DJ and dancing!
~ Awards presentation!
~ Indoor cornhole in January!
~ Cash bar!
~ Lots of good looking Bangers and Banger guests!

Tickets on sale now!
$29 early bird now through 11/30
$35 regular 12/1-1/11
$39 last minute 1/12-1/21

VENMO: Seth-Wolfman
Paypal: brightonbangersrunningclub@gmail.com
Cash/Check: to Em Grover, Meghan Burns, Tess Harvey, or Seth Wolfman

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/667738040058762/

Cocktail attire
Banger guests welcome!

Bangers Blog: November 4, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:59:57 GMT

Good Morning Bangers!

So. A lot has happened this week! Last weekend, Elyse Archila, Andrew Malkin, and Meaghan Reddy all traveled to Washington DC for the Marine Corps Marathon. Elyse PR'd the race with a sub-4-hour time on a super hot day! And Andrew and Meaghan got engaged!!! Congratulations to all of you! Also last weekend, Kerry Phelan ran the North Shore Cancer Run, placing third in her division. And the previous week, Tess Harvey added yet another ultra-marathon to her list at the Ghost Train Rail Trail Ultra in New Hampshire.

This weekend, wish Ryan Wexler, Patrick McMahon, Theresa Donohoe, Laura Huselton, and Michelle Landry good luck at the New York City Marathon on Sunday! Go Bangers! (And tell Patrick to wear his Bangers singlet!)

Other announcements...

Saturday Runs: This weekend, meet in Oak Square at 9 AM for a 10-mile or 10-K loop, followed by smoothies. FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1895410727349481/1895936587296895/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity&notif_id=1478183295282549

If my obsession with the smoothies is getting old and you want to do something different after a Saturday run...then sign up to host your very own! It's super easy and low-pressure. Just pick a weekend, make up a route(s), and advertise your run! Themes are optional, and anything to do with brunch at the end is encouraged. (You do not have to host the brunch yourself, you can just pick somewhere convenient in Brighton to go after the run.)

This was a great way for us to keep up the Saturday running last winter/spring, so help us make it a success again this year! Sign up here: http://bit.ly/satbang

Thank you Mark, Kerry, and Em for hosting runs so far!

Races: It's time for holiday beer 5k's again! This year the Cambridge Winter Classic (Sunday 12/4) and Somerville Jingle Bell Run (Sunday 12/18) are our last two Grand Prix races of the year. Both are a ton of fun! Sign up here: http://bit.ly/bangersraces

Spring Races: Since our marathon/half/ultra tracking sheet was so helpful in setting up training runs this summer and fall, we're going to keep using it for spring marathons! I know it's early for these, but as you decide on your races, add them here: http://bit.ly/bangersmarathons

BANG-quet: Don't forget to buy tickets! Early bird pricing ($29/ticket) is good through 11/30. Details below.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Bang-quet info-

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/667738040058762/

Cocktail attire
Banger guests welcome!

Bangers Blog: October 28, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:59:14 GMT

Happy Friday, Bangers!

Thank you Tess Harvey for organizing our Halloween bar crawl this past Wednesday! Amazing turnout and costumes!!

We've had lots of racing going on the last couple of weeks! Jonna Green, Jackie Crain, and Em Grover represented the Bangers for the second year in a row at the Oktoberfest 5k right here in Oak Square. Maggie Ginn and Patrick Rooney ran the Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon - congrats Maggie on a PR! Mack Hebert completed another triathlon at the Miami Half Ironman last weekend, one of a few just this fall! Sierra Parker ran the Newburyport Half Marathon last weekend, and finally, Kate Mroz and Bryan Weinstein ran their first marathon and half-marathon respectively at the Loco Marathon and Half in New Hampshire. Kate crushed it with a BQ time!!!

Good luck to Andrew Malkin, Meaghan Reddy, and Elyse Archila at the Marine Corps Marathon this weekend!!

Keep submitting results here: http://bit.ly/bangerresults

Grand Prix standings and races for the rest of the year are here: http://bit.ly/bangersraces

The next Grand Prix race coming up is the Cambridge Half Marathon on Sunday, November 13th. We have more than 30 Bangers signed up for this, which I think is a record for a half marathon distance! Spots are still available if anyone else wants to join the party!

Tickets to the BANG-quet (Saturday, January 21, 2017) are still available at early-bird prices! Info below:

FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/667738040058762/

Cocktail attire
Banger guests welcome!

Bangers Blog: October 7, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:58:33 GMT

This Week in Banger News:

Congratulations first-time marathoners Jonna Green, Kara Huselton, and Nat Schils, who all ran the Maine Marathon in Portland last weekend! All of you did an amazing job!! Our October Grand Prix race, the Smuttynose half marathon, was also last Sunday. The Bangers had an impressive showing there as well with Elyse Archila, Jeremy Shaw, Chris Seero, Peter Brown, and Cassie Yeancades, who also PR'd!!! Thank you Seth for being there to cheer too! Finally, Kelly Muskopf ran the Cambridge Oktoberfest 5K last weekend with a personal record as well.

Keep submitting those results! http://bit.ly/bangerresults

This weekend we will have Bangers representing at tons of races including the Chicago Marathon, the Newport Half Marathon, the B.A.A. Half Marathon, and the Bigfoot 100K all the way out in the Cascade Mountains in Washington state!!! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, I can't wait to hear all of the success stories!

In Grand Prix standings, we have Bobby McDonough and Cassie Yeancades holding first place for men's and women's divisions, but closely followed by Jeremy Shaw, Em Grover, Mark Zurlo, and Elyse Archila! Check out the standings and the rest of our GP races for the year on the roster: http://bit.ly/bangersraces

For the rest of the year's team races we have the Cambridge Half Marathon, the Winter Classic 5K, and the Somerville Jingle Bell 5K. All of these are huge races that have been a blast in other years (except the Cambridge half, which is brand new!). They will sell out, so don't forget to register! Info in the roster http://bit.ly/bangersraces

There will also be a bunch of Bangers volunteering at water stops at the B.A.A. half marathon on Sunday. Carpools are being planned - see the FB group for ride info and general instructions. Thank you again Jeremy for organizing this! https://www.facebook.com/events/1826671370899558/

AND, don't forget to get your Bang-quet tickets! Save the date - Saturday, January 21. Early bird pricing is still in effect! https://www.facebook.com/events/667738040058762/

Bangers Blog: September 30, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:57:59 GMT

We had an amazing weekend of racing last week! Kerry Phelan ran the Clarence Demar Marathon in Keene, NH, and qualified for Boston with her first marathon! Greg Niforos ran the Adirondack Marathon in Schroon Lake, NY, smashing his previous marathon time by 17 minutes! Jon Marcus ran the Berlin Marathon and has now completed six out of the seven "World Marathon Majors." And Bobby McDonough ran a PR at the Dublin Marathon (yes, Ireland!), where he placed second in his division and also became the first Banger to get our team name announced while crossing the finish line in another country, and I know this is a very specific first, but it's still pretty awesome. Mark Zurlo and Patrick McMahon ran the very last Race Cancer Summer Series 5k of the summer, and now it's officially fall. Patrick also ran the 12th annual Wilmington Half Marathon in Wilmington, MA last weekend!

Keep submitting results...bit.ly/bangerresults

On deck for this weekend: Kara Huselton, Jonna Green, and Nat Schils all take on the Maine Marathon in Portland on Sunday! Our October Grand Prix race is also happening at the Smuttynose Half Marathon and 5k in Hampton Beach, NH this Sunday! The half marathon is sold out, but if you want to join in last-minute, there are still some 5k spots available - check out the race roster @ http://bit.ly/bangersraces

In other news...

The second annual BANG-QUET is officially scheduled for January 21, 2017! You do NOT want to miss this. Tickets are on sale now with early-bird pricing, and you're going to go anyway, so.....

More details on the FB event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/667738040058762/

We are volunteering at a water stop for the B.A.A. Half Marathon next weekend (Sunday 10/9)! This is the second year we've had this opportunity and it was great to have a big group of Bangers out there last year. More info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1826671370899558/

Have a great weekend!

Bangers Blog: September 22, 2016

Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:57:01 GMT

Hi Bangers!

Fall racing is upon us!! Last weekend, Jeremy Shaw ran his first FIFTY MILER on a crazy mountain course with 12,500 feet of gain! 1,000 vertical feet translates to about 30 minutes of nonstop uphill running and you're wiped out at the top. Now try to imagine doing that 12.5 times in a row while covering 50 miles...

Kevin Koncilja flew through the Air Force Marathon in Ohio!

Another big weekend coming up this weekend:

-Kerry Phelan will be making her marathon debut at the Clarence Demar Marathon in Keene, New Hampshire

-Greg Niforos takes on the Adirondack Marathon in upstate New York

-Bobby McDonough runs a half in Dublin, Ireland

-Finally, Bangers 5K Race Director Extraordinaire Jon Marcus, in what can only be described as a really really really good couple of weekends of running, will be running the Berlin Marathon in Germany!

Good luck everyone!!

Add your name to the list (for marathons, half marathons, and ultras) so we can celebrate your achievements! (And submit your results too) bit.ly/bangersmarathons

Bangers 5K:

83 Bangers at one race is a new record! Our previous biggest group ever at a race was 54 Bangers at the 26x1 relay this year.

Several PR's have been reported so far. Submit your result at bit.ly/bangerresults!! Congrats to Maggie Ginn, Em Grover, Mark Hagopian, Mark Zagata, Ryan Wexler, Greg Niforos, Leandra Mansur, Wendy Recine, and Daniel Hitchcock on their PRs! Also congrts to Mariah Bundy and Deena Altschwager on their first ever 5K's!

32 humans and 2 dogs got their name on the Grand Prix list for the first time in 2016 this week, bringing us to 134 participants so far this year! (For reference, we had 91 total last year.) Congrats to:

Laura Huselton

Kate Mroz

Dan Costa

Agoston Petz

Bethany Crowe

Kathleen Vale

Sami Rifai

Greg Bertoni

Dan Shevenell

Trevor Evans

Blair Sheets

Lexi Panepinto

Ali Lynch

Kaitlyn Direnzo

Arra Derderian

Pat Sweeney

Greg Jarbeau

Peter Leblanc

Danny Arias

Natalie Schils

Kiley Bunce

Anna Speth

Ainsley Wolfe

Sara Thomas

Jennifer Clegg

Kyle Dooley

Lauren Rosenfeld

Meaghan O'Connor

Kelly Muskopf

Bullwinkle

Harley

James Ciancia

Mike Devens

Chris Jenkins

You can see the full set of standings and upcoming races at http://bit.ly/bangersraces

Volunteer Opportunity: We can still use a few more people volunteering at our water stop for the B.A.A. Half Marathon on Sunday, October 9th! Here is the FB event for more info and instructions on how to sign up: https://www.facebook.com/events/1826671370899558/

Finally, long run Saturdays are continuing! This weekend's run will start at 7:30 AM (not 7!!!) in Oak Square. Routes and details will be posted in the FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/570450283079935/