Hi Bikebetty! I'm in coastal NH, but I'm a racewalker, and I usually start my workouts at about 4am, so I'm probably not your best bet for a partner. However, there is the Coastal Athletic Association, based in Portsmouth, and you can probably find somebody there you can run with. Either check their web site, or give a call to (or stop in at) Runner's Alley in Portsmouth to find out more about the organization.

BTW, I'm race director of the Great Bay 5K (in Stratham) that will be on Oct. 23 this year, if you are looking for a good race to run. Let me know if you'd like an entry form. (jd "at" funtasticlearning.com)

Jay

quote:<HR>Originally posted by EWF:
Hi Bikebetty and Jay! Sorry, Bikebetty, I'm not a potential partner, either. I live in central NH. However, I'm posting to say "hi" as well as to ask either of you if you've ever run right along the coast (Rt. 1A) and do you think it's safe, traffic-wise, to run from MA to ME via that route? I'd like to do so this summer. Also, I'm clueless on where the route takes me once I reach the northern area. Does Rt. 1A move away from the water?

<HR>

Hi EWF,

I do most of my early morning workouts along Ocean Blvd (1A) during the summer. There is a lot of traffic during the day, but the shoulders are pretty wide in most areas, and there are sidewalks along some stretches that you can use to keep off the road for a bit. Lots of people run, walk, rollerblade, and bike along the road, so anybody who drives there regularly is used to it, and most people will give you room if they can. In the summer, with all the out of town gawkers, traffic moves fairly slow anyway, so there is little problem with high-speed traffic.

1A moves away from the water at Odiorne State Park, and stays off the water from there for the next 3-5 miles (+/-) into Portsmouth. If you get a local map of Portsmouth, you'll see that it is pretty easy to get across the bridge in downtown Portsmouth to Kittery, ME. The Eastern States 20 mile race (in March) starts in Kittery, and goes down 1A into Mass., and is a pretty popular race.

Jay

quote:<HR>Originally posted by Coastrunner:
Hi Bikebetty! I'm in coastal NH, but I'm a racewalker, and I usually start my workouts at about 4am, so I'm probably not your best bet for a partner. However, there is the Coastal Athletic Association, based in Portsmouth, and you can probably find somebody there you can run with. Either check their web site, or give a call to (or stop in at) Runner's Alley in Portsmouth to find out more about the organization.

BTW, I'm race director of the Great Bay 5K (in Stratham) that will be on Oct. 23 this year, if you are looking for a good race to run. Let me know if you'd like an entry form. (jd "at" funtasticlearning.com)

Jay<HR>

Hi Jay, thanks for posting! I lied, apparently I'm actually an 11.5 minute mile, seems I'm faster outside than on the dreadmill

I've been in touch with Rochester Runners and joined but they're w-a-a-y ahead of a slow poke like me Yes I'd love to run the Great Bay 5K, I'm doing my first in August (the Cigna 5K) so this one will be perfect! Will shoot you an email for an entry form, thanks!