The Mass Dash

If you were out on Rt 47 or Rocky Hill Road last night around 9pm or 10pm, you may have seen vans parked along the side of the road or at the school; you may have seen people running decked out in lit-up visors and vests, alone on the road.  A few hours earlier, had you been near Shelburne Falls, you may have seen some of the same people, either running on the road or waiting in vans to provide relief or stretching by the side of the road to take up the race.  And you may have wondered, as we did, what kind of race is this?  We asked a relief van in Shelburne Falls -- a marathon, a half marathon?  No.  It was a 200-mile relay race from Mt. Greylock to Boston.  Curious.

I looked up the race this morning to find out more about it and, of course, to write this post.  The race is called The Mass Dash, and you can  read the delightful description of the route here.    Teams of up to 12 runners participate in a 2-day race comprising 36 relay legs all the way across Massachusetts -- from the Berkshires to Boston.  The race benefits the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through team fundraising.

The race sounds amazing.  Good luck to those still running this morning.  I hope you enjoy the beauties of Massachusetts as you run through mountains and forests, by lakes and rivers, through historic towns and landmarks.  Keep your legs and be safe!

If you're traveling east towards Boston today and you see vans and runners making their journey, show a little support -- they've come a long way already.

The Mass Dash