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Half Marathon Added to Mount Greylock Ramble Weekend

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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ADAMS, Mass. — The Ramble is growing.
 
Each year hundreds of visitors and residents climb to the top of the state's highest mountain on Columbus Day weekend as part of the Mount Greylock Ramble. In 2012, the Pro Adams group tacked on the Ramblefest festival featuring live music, food and drinks, and a bonfire — a replication of the Thunderfest held in conjunction with the Thunderbolt Ski Run. Ramblefest is the party on the Sunday before the hike. 
 
Now, add a half marathon.
 
The Berkshire Running Center has teamed up with Pro Adams to put on the inaugural "Ramblefest Half Marathon." Runners will end the race at the Visitors Center the morning of Ramblefest and join the festivities. 
 
Kent and Shiobbean Lemme of the Berkshire Running Center said they were looking to put on a race in the fall and Pro Adams wanted to add more to the Ramblefest so "it kind of fit together." 
 
"We really wanted to put on a full marathon in the fall," Kent Lemme said, adding that after looking at courses, they determined it was too much to manage and ultimately the running center opted "not to reinvent the wheel." 
 
The Steel Rail Half Marathon had 710 finishers just over three weeks ago in its fourth year. That race attracts runners from out of town, giving a boost to the economy, and offers a chance to qualify for some of the more difficult full marathon. The race concludes at the Adams Visitors Center with live music and food and drink vendors.
 
The Steel Rail has been growing in reputation as both a well managed race and a fast race because of the mostly flat course — and the hope is to grow the competitive level for it. 
 
"My goal was to bring people from outside of the Berkshires here and with the Steel Rail we are finally started to get there," Kent Lemme said. "People are starting to travel to come here and do it."
 
The course starts at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Route 8 and follows the Ashulwilticook Rail Trail. In the fall, the same exact course will be run in the inaugural Ramblefest half marathon — this time ending with the more robust party being put on by Pro Adams.
 
"Our race is a great chance to get a PR for your half," Shiobbean Lemme said.
 
On the other side of bringing people into the county, she said it also keeps people from here in town during the long holiday weekend. Local runners had out of the area for sell-out races that weekend; the new half marathon gives them an opportunity to compete here.
 
Additionally, there is an 8K race being added with runners starting from the trail from Church Street in Cheshire and ending at Ramblefest. 
 
"There are a billion 5Ks, this would pose a little bit more of a challenge than a 5K," Kent Lemme said. 
 
Registration for the races has opened, with those who finished the Steel Rail being offered a registration discount and the opportunity to receive a special hooded sweat shirt for finishing both half-marathons. Everybody who registers will receive a long-sleeved shirt and finishers receive a medal. 
 
"My goal for today was I wanted to get 100 people registered," Shiobbean Lemme said the day registration opened and the day ended exceeding that number.
 
The half marathon has a cap of 750 runners and the 8K race has a cap of 200 runners. 
 
"You don't want it to be too congested," Shiobbean Lemme said. 
 
The race will also have sponsorship opportunities for businesses, which in turn will receive registrations, name listed on the shirt and website, and other promotional material. All of proceeds will be given to the Berkshire Scenic Railway, the nonprofit that operates scenic train rides between Adams and North Adams.
 
"I like the concept of having a local scenic railway. I think it'll be good for the Adams economy," Kent Lemme said. 
 
Further, the Berkshire Running Center is offering a 10-week training program starting at the end of July. Each Saturday morning the training group will be upping the distance progressively, and concluding with the half marathon. 
 
While the template may be the same as in the spring, the autumn leaves and decrease in humidity will make it "look like a different race than it did in May," Shiobbean Lemme said. 

Tags: half marathon,   Mount Greylock,   Ramblefest,   running,   

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Hoosac Valley High School is Moving and Shaking

There have been some major shifts within the Hoosac Valley Regional School District recently, all of which have focused on enhancing the student experience to make it a place where ALL students can find their path.
 
In 2023, Hoosac Valley High School was designated an Innovation Pathway School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and has since restructured the Program of Studies, utilized creative scheduling, and expanded internship opportunities. Part of this transformation includes participating in a "Portrait of a Graduate" cohort alongside four other Berkshire County schools to determine a collective vision for student success, in partnership with the BARR Foundation.
 
The Innovation Pathways at HVHS are designed to give students coursework and experience in a specific high-demand industry, such as technology, engineering, healthcare, or life sciences. Currently, Biomedical Science & Healthcare and Environmental Studies have received official state IP designation. In addition to the IP designated pathways, HVHS offers programs in Engineering & Technology, Business & Entrepreneurship, Arts & Entertainment, Education, and Sports Medicine. The result is that students have an opportunity for a transformative experience – enabling them to build essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields.
 
Principal Colleen Byrd notes, "What makes our program special is that entry into the Pathway of your choice allows a student to access Advanced Placement and dual enrollment college courses, as well as internships in the community to set them up for success after high school."
 
The Portrait of a Graduate initiative consists of a team of Hoosac educators and students who exemplify the essential skills, practices, and beliefs that define learning experiences across the district. They work to outline the competencies, values, skills, and knowledge that define our vision for student success – keeping in mind that not every student's pathway will look the same. The District's goal is to ensure that all students graduate as responsible people, prepared individuals, lifelong learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and thoughtful communicators.
 
Another recent change district-wide in grades K-12 is the "Crew" culture. Teachers and students now have time each day to create positive connections and build authentic relationships with one another. Through Responsive Classroom at the elementary school and Crew at the middle and high schools, students and staff gather for 30 minutes each day to engage in meaningful experiences rooted in mutual and shared interests. 
The Crew block is a prioritized structure that allows staff to support all students socially, emotionally, and academically – anchoring them and promoting the Portrait of a Graduate competencies. Crew takes many forms at the high school, such as gardening, bird watching, yoga, and sports talk with visits to college games.
 
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