2nd Annual Independence Rhode Race

This race is truly one of my favorites. Although I may say that about all our races. 🙂 But it features so many things about a race course that I love – architecture, history, vivid colors, boats, farms, beautiful seascapes, and stunning twists and turns with a surprise at every corner. That’s a lot to fit into one-half marathon? I’ll explain.

To start, when I created this course – I took two races that I loved to run. Bristol used to host a 10-miler in November. It started at Guiteras School – the school with the view – and ran downtown, using High St and Thames St., before heading out to the water. Another race that I run every year is the Hangover Classic – a 5 miler, with the best trophies ever! It starts in the cove on Poppasquash before heading into Colt State Park through Coggeshall Farm. Both of these races were managed by East Bay Striders and
my friend and mentor, Brian Beausoleil.

When I was creating the idea of a Half Marathon in Bristol, I could not think of a prettier time to run than during the 4th of July. The town just comes alive in color. Red, white, and blue every where- even the stripe in the middle of the street gets freshened up every year. Every house gets in on the action to decorate for the Oldest 4th of July Celebration in America. Bristol is THE place to be in RI during the 4th of July.

So it was between these 3 ideas that the course was born – I wanted to use some of the parade routes so that everyone could see the majesty of Bristol’s proudest moment but I also wanted to show off the quaint downtown, the historic homes, and the rich sailing and boating history. My favorite road in town – Poppasquash – includes water views on both sides and the Bristol Yacht Club as it weaves out to the far entrance to Colt State Park. To get to Colt State Park, you run right through the historic working Coggeshall Farm. Look for the bulls, goats, and other animals that graze the grass while you run through.

The far loop of the course is Colt State Park – you will enjoy miles of gorgeous views of Narragansett Bay as well as the beautiful landscaping of the park, the old stone “castle” from the former stables of the Colt Family but also the back trails that include surprise views of estuaries and stone bridges.

Here is a SUPER quick course preview. While it gives you a good idea of the course, it doesn’t give you those 360-degree views that you will enjoy while running the race.

Here are the highlights –

Mile 1 – The Lobster Pot Restaurant and the America’s Cup Museum. ?An amazing view of Mt. Hope Bridge.

Mile 2 – the turn onto Mt. Hope Ave – near the Town Common and usually staffed by my favorite running group – The Rhode Island Road Runners

Mile 3 – coming back past the Town Common, the “school district” – you will take the turn onto the parade route just after this mile marker

Mile 4 – turning from the bike path onto Poppasquash – a narrow stretch of road with water on both sides and a rock wall separating you from the harbor. SO PRETTY!

Mile 5 – just past the Bristol Yacht Club on tree-lined Poppasquash, heading into Coggeshall Farm

Mile 6 – heading down “Surprise Hill” in Colt State Park, ready for a long stretch of an ocean run?

Mile 7 ?- near the Boat launch and heading into richly manicured park grounds

Mile 8 – you made it up the hill, around the grass, and heading back to the finish!!!!

Mile 9 – in the woods of the trails, reminiscent of our cross-country days! I love the peek-a-boo views of the estuaries through the woods.

Mile 10 – up a short little hill, around a corner, and past the stoic John Chaffee statue that looks over Narragansett Bay.

Mile 11 – backside of Colt State Park, before you make the turn back into Coggeshall Farm. Once you are back on Coggeshall, make sure you look left for another peek-a-boo view of some pretty water.

Mile 12 – rounding the corner on Poppasquash with that amazing harbor on your right. ?Enjoy the peaceful sailboats bobbing away.

Mile 13! – just after the end of the bike path – you can hear the DJ and see the finish arch!

Mile 13.1 – Independence Park! You did it!

There really is only one major hill – around mile 8 – as you make the climb from the Park to the entrance of Bristol’s Rec Center, cross a grass path, and then head back down and out to the finish.

The course is fast and full of turns, which I love as I always feel so fast on a corner! But I also feel a lot of corners in a longer race helps as you have short-term goals to get you to the finish line – “I just need to reach that corner and see what comes next….” “Ok – made that corner, there’s the next one, let’s get there….” As a former XC runner, I love the feeling of running through the woods, as you will experience around mile 9.

The race starts and finishes right on the water in Independence Park, the scene of the nightly concerts for which Bristol is so famous. ?So plan on spending the day or the weekend in this quintessential American small town – it fully encompasses all that we celebrate in July.

Thank you for joining us!