Organizers of the Jogger Joe Fun Runs are delighted to announce that the 2021 series will resume in real time on Friday, May 7, with a few recommendations. The eight weekly races start and finish at Esker Point Beach.
We are urging that only runners who have been fully vaccinated against COVID participate, and that all socializing follow recommended protocols. This means that when gathering before the start and after the finish, everyone should maintain at least six feet of distance from one another, and consider wearing face coverings.
Although the virus at last has been waning, there are growing concerns about new spikes, and we would rather err on the side of caution. That said, we are looking forward to continuing what has been a local running tradition dating back more than 45 years. The series is named for initial organizer Joe "Jogger Joe" Smith, now living in Prescott, Arizona.
The free, self-timed races, which have attracted former Olympians and Boston Marathon winners, as well as casual joggers and walkers take place every Friday in May and June. A 1.5-mile warm up starts at 6 p.m., followed by a 3-mile, self-timed fun run about 6:20. The flat, fast, scenic course follows a route around Groton Long Point.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the starting line on May 7, but in the unwelcome event of a coronavirus resurgence, reserve the right to return to last year's model in which all but two of the races had participants running the course independently at different times.
There is one welcome holdover from the 2020 series: Participants may again post their times, photos, and other comments, on the website joggerjoe.blogspot.com. To do this you must email your result to amburf@gmail.com. Also, if you can't attend on a Friday evening for some reason, you can run the Esker Point-GLP course later in the week, and email your result to the above address.
Note: The Fisherman restaurant is open again after a lapse of many years, and may in May/June offer outdoor dining and drinks.