Clamdigger 2025

 

Westerly, RI

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Clamdigger 2025 is eight days before Boston Marathon.  Should I run in the Clamdigger?  I used my Li'l Rhody age group winner free race coupon to sign up for the Clamdigger back in November, figuring I had time if I wanted to opt out and defer to another WTAC race later in the year.  Potential upside was scoring in the RI Grand Prix as Clamdigger was selected as one of the seven races this year.  Potential downside was racing too close to Boston might impact my marathon, but then again it's only a five mile race and it's still eight days away.  Google/Reddit searches on my question not surprisingly find mixed opinions on whether I should race, but the majority indicate that the marathon is far enough away and the distance of my race (Clamdigger) short enough that is should be fine.

Fast forward to race day.  Yes, I'm in.  Jana and arrive at 8:30am, 2 1/2 hours before the race.  As Race Director, there is much to, including organizing, set up, and well, directing.  There is some occasional light rain and temperature is only about 40°F with a 15mph wind, but I'm prepared wearing several layers, including waterproof pants and a waterproof rain jacket as outermost layers.  I stay dry, but am cold pretty much the entire time.

Race expectations:  Pretty low, honestly.  I've run four road races in 2025 to date, and every one of them was way off both my expectations and my 2024 performances.  This would be my 2nd 5-miler this year, after running Winter Wonderland 5M on January 26th in 32:06.  So I set my goal pretty conservatively at 32-flat.

Race start:  After I get the cue from the police officer who temporarily closes the road, I give the OK for runners to enter and line up on Atlantic Avenue and we're off fairly promptly at 11:01am (according to Strava).  I am lined up in the second row behind mostly a bunch of teenagers.  They blast out pretty fast so it's no issue, as they're not in my way at all.

Within a quarter mile it thins out enough that we can all move to the right-hand side of the road per police request.  Matt S quickly goes past me as he calls out to me, and I give him encouragement as I remind myself to run my own race.  I have plenty of room to run near the right shoulder of Atlantic Road.  It's mildly windy, but oddly out of the north, so on this east-west course, for once the wind really is not an issue in this race.  Tommy goes by me towards the end of the 1st mile.  He mentions that he is not going all out, but for me, yeah, this is pretty much all out!  Mile 1 is 6-flat average pace, so I'm happy with that.

Clamdigger course

At the course split, about half the runners ahead of me, including all of the teenagers, go left for the 5K, while the rest of us saunter on for the 5-miler.  Over the breachway, and then pretty fast on Wawaloam, with a Mile 2 split of 6:06.

Shara goes by me somewhere around here, and that might be the first time that's happened in a race, but I remind myself she's a very fast runner in her 30s and I'm a 60-year-old.  Run my own race.  The 3rd mile is the most scenic, especially the ocean view on Spray Rock Road.  We round the corner in sight of the Weekapaug Inn, and have a very slight 40' hill up Noyes Neck Road in a very short northbound (into the wind) section, so I'm fine with a Mile 3 split of 6:14.

Slight downhill on Fenway Road back to Wawaloam, where we are now running against back-of-the-pack runners in their 2nd mile.  Again, we have plenty of room.  Short distance back to the breachway, and then it's a fast, flat 1.5 mile back on Atlantic Avenue to the finish.  Mile 4 split 6:05.

In the final mile, I have a birds-eye view to watching the women's race unfold, as Shara passed the lead woman.  I caught up to and passed the lead woman as well, and other than back-of-the-pack 5K'ers, she would be the last person that I passed.

Went past my Mom and Jana at the gate entering to the beach parking lot, and hustled it in across the finish line.

I don't normally wear long-sleeve, hat, and gloves
at races in mid-April, but I was just cold and damp.
I finally warmed up in the race itself.

Final result:  30:43, 12th of 146 overall, 1st in age group.  Full results here

What went well:

• Clamdigger 5-miler was part of the RI Grand Prix this year!  (This definitely brought in more 5-mile participants.)
• Team WTAC won the RI Grand Prix event!
  
  
  
• Largest field size ever!  (384 registered, 302 finishers including kids' run)
• Chowder from Blount was really good.  (despite a last minute change to get NE clam chowder instead of RI chowder, which was unavailable)
• This year's special retro design tech shirt (50th club anniversary) was very well received (kudo to Matt S for design, and JMack for final updates)
  
  
  
• My own race exceeded my expectations.  My sub-30 days might possibly be gone (to be determined), but no complaints with low-6 consistent pacing, and also getting 1st overall on an age-graded basis!
• Great catching up with so many running friends!
• Awesome volunteers
• Our event was certified "green" by DEM this year for the first time ever (NOTE:  town and state agencies are increasingly asking for this environmental certification)
  
  
  

What could've gone better:

• We ran out of chowder before all runners finished (kind of a victim of our own success with record field size, but will look to improve upon for next year)
• Weather was pretty raw (not that we can control that, but I won't complain too loudly as we've certainly had worse weather years!)

All in all, this was another great event.  It reminds me of Wakefield Running Company owner Keith recently singing our praises by saying that the Clamdigger is a "race put on by runners".