Feaster Five Race Alert
ANDOVER, Mass. (November 20, 2018) –
As you know, we have been advised that this Thanksgiving Day will likely be the coldest ever recorded in the Boston area. There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our participants. After consulting with Boston meteorologist Barry Burbank, Police Chief Patrick Keefe, Fire Chief Mike Mansfield, our Chief Medical Officer, Christopher Troyanos, and Race Director Dave McGillivray, we will be making the following modifications:
5K Only With temperatures in the low teens and winds gusting to as high as 40 mph, we will only run the 5k course. Our concern is that extended exposure to the low temperatures may lead to possible frostbite. If you are registered for the 5-mile event, you will automatically be entered in the 5K.
Kids Race Cancelled With a snow-covered track and frigid temperatures, we have cancelled the Kid’s Fun Run Races. But, you can still have the kids get their hoodie, buff and race bib at race registration. The back of the bib has a $10 gift certificate to Whirlaway Sports Center in Methuen and they will get their race medal when they go there!
Runners and Walkers Only We strongly recommend no strollers or dogs.
No Water Stops As the temps would cause freezing, we will not have a water stop on the 5K course. If you think you’ll need water during the 5k, we suggest you bring your own. Use Your Buff. This is a good year to employ the new Feaster Five Race buff for face protection.
Pick Up Race Swag Early If you choose not to run, no worries. Come get your hoodie and buff (they’re awesome) and come to Expo on Wednesday (come back if you’ve already picked up your gear), and we’ll have your Table Talk Apple Pie waiting for you. Just show us your race bib.
Cold Weather Running Tips
Given the weather forecast for Thanksgiving morning, we wanted to provide you with a few cold weather running tips that will make your experience a good one. Local meteorologists are predicting the coldest Thanksgiving Day temps in the last 100 years. Another way to look at it is we are going to experience bone chilling temps with a wind chill factor. This is New England, so this type of weather is nothing new – though it may have arrived a little earlier than we would have hoped.
Even with a short race such as our 5K event, we find that these tips will help you have a great time with your family and beat the cold weather and wind.
Consider the effects of cold on the body:
• Warm-up: Warming up the muscles is particularly important in cold weather. Never go out at race pace. Start slowly until the body feels ready to pick up the pace. Understand that your body needs to warm up just like your car in the morning.
• If the roads seem wet, be cautious about icy roads: Shorten your stride and slow your pace on wet surfaces, especially while rounding corners.
• A significant amount of body heat can be lost through the head if uncovered. Keeping your head covered will help keep body heat and circulation directed to areas where it is really needed. The best material for your hat is wool or a synthetic material that will wick away moisture. It is important to protect all areas from exposure, including your ears, which be adversely effected in windy conditions.
• As for your upper body, at least three layers should be worn in the temperature ranges expected on Thursday. The upper torso should start with a synthetic long sleeved shirt or two or some other middle layer (fleece) and a wind breaker over layer.
• To protect your hands, many glove options exist. Just make sure you utilize some type of synthetic gloves to insulate your hands. We would recommend lined gloves, or a double pair with under poly pro, down mittens, or Gore-Tex mittens. Keep in mind that wool is not a great option for your hands. Hand warmers are a great idea.
• Your legs will need nylon tights or some type of sweat pants. Here again, two layers are best. We strongly urge not running in shorts and recommend covering all exposed skin surfaces.
• Socks: You might consider wearing 2 pairs of socks. Make certain that you choose wicking material for the socks. The inner layer should be a thin layer of nylon, or a wool type material. Stay away from cotton.
As for the event, try to find a warm location prior to the start of the race and then make sure you are not hanging around the finish at Andover Landing at Brickstone Square for a prolonged period of time. Once you finished, find your friends and family, pick up your Table Talk Pies and head home for a great time with your families.
We hope these simple to follow tips will help you beat the course and the cold.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Feaster Five Team
