Unabridged version of article I submitted to paper in August during Olympics season - unfortunately wasn't run - so posting here.
New Hampshire Town Hall Running - Medal Awards
First, let’s start with a progress update on where I am in this running odyssey since my last running column. Over the past month I’ve run 35 miles through distinctly different towns from the Historical Town Hall area of Dorchester (bucolic off the main road historic town center) to Groton (no town here, just a town hall) to Rumney (quaint bypassed village center) to Plymouth (college town) to Ashland (beautiful pastoral backroads) and on to Holderness (Squam lake).
With the summer Olympics in full swing it seems natural to reflect on the New Hampshire Town Hall running adventure completed to this point and highlight what Nancy and I consider award winners across a number of categories. To catch you up - I’m running to connect all 234 incorporated towns in New Hampshire. The route will ultimately cover 1800 miles and as of this writing we’ve traversed 700 miles across Cheshire, Sullivan, Merrimack and western Grafton counties connecting 93 towns starting in our hometown Dublin back in November of 2021.
Without further adieu let’s award some medals across a few categories of interest:
Most iconic New Hampshire towns visited - places that jumped out at us as picture card beautiful traditional towns with town centers. You know the feeling the first time you see some place and just say “wow”. This is purely subjective, but was a driving influence for why we want to visit every New Hampshire town to see them for ourselves.
Gold: Washington
Silver: Hebron
Bronze: Harrisville
Honorable Mentions: Walpole, Canaan, Lyme
Into the Unknown - the running legs that couldn’t be fully scouted ahead of time and were enjoyed the most:
Gold: Stoddard to Washington (8 miles) – taking the Kings Highway on a non maintained old logging road and sharing the running company with our daughter Haley.
Silver: Dorchester to Groton (11 miles) – included traversing Baker River by rock hopping where a washed out bridge once stood, running unmaintained Province Rd and getting spooked by a black bear.
Bronze: Warner to Henniker (8 miles) – running Henniker Rd which is not passable during winter months. It was hilly and icy and I wasn’t able to scout to know what was coming.
Hardest – the running legs that got me asking the question “Seriously, what am I doing?”
Gold: Bristol to Briegewater (7.5 miles / 2 hrs) – I opted to run to the original meeting hall when Hill and Bridgewater were part of New Chester. Coming from Bristol I encountered my only cat 2 climb (translation - super steep) to date on Poole Hill. The most out of the way town hall to date - arrived on a beautiful fall day and enjoyed a picnic on the stone benches.
Silver: Monroe to Lyman (9 miles / 2 hrs) – Up and over Hunt Mountain (class 5 road) after mud season was wrapping up. This would be a medalist “Into the Unknown” but trying to not have repeat winners.
Bronze: Benton to Warren (13 miles / nearly 3 hrs) – The only way to connect these towns was via Long Pond road that was closed to traffic. It was hot and sunny with no shade so by the time I finished … I was finished.
Most Scenic Routes:
Gold: Hanover to Lyme (12 miles) – The initial section through Dartmouth and running along the Connecticut River were highlights.
Silver: Gilsum to Surry (8 miles) – I really enjoyed running along the Dart Brook stream on quiet Surry/Gilsum road. The town center of Surry is tucked away off of 12A.
Bronze: Lisbon to Landaff (3.3 miles) – peaceful and pastoral once leaving Lisbon. The one downside at the end - black flies!
Most Memorable:
Gold: Plainfied (Meriden) to Grantham (17 miles / 3 hrs) – Perfect fall foliage day, especially Chellis road, running with Haley. Methodist Hill was a tough one and the longest run so far.
Silver: Charlestown to Unity (13 miles / 2 ¾ hrs) – Chance to run with friends, 1500 feet of elevation, encounter a dire wolf and bush whack through the woods.
Bronze: Dublin to Jafferey (8 miles) - this was the run that got it started. A very forgiving and scenic route.
With 94 legs down and 140 still to go there’s plenty of time for towns to make appearances in the 2028 edition at which time we should be in the home stretch.
Until next time - keep moving!
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