Race week is here!

When you cross the finish line at the Happy Valley Half Marathon & 5K, your recovery does not have to be guesswork.

I’m Dr. Maurice Disley, a physical therapist, ultrarunner, and Happy Valley’s official recovery partner. I’ll be running a free Elevation PTP Recovery Zone at the finish festival for both half-marathon and 5K participants.

You’ll find me along the finish line with the other vendors. 

Stop by if you finish with:

• Tight or unusually sore muscles

• Cramping that isn’t settling down

• A painful or irritated knee, hip, ankle, foot, or back

• A concern about something that changed during the race

• Questions about what to do during the first few days after finishing

I’ll provide a brief one-on-one recovery check-in, help you understand what may need attention, and give you practical next steps for the hours and days after the race.

The Recovery Zone is free, but availability will be limited. Reserve your priority check-in here:

Recovery Zone Sign Up 

You can also scan the QR code at our tent on race day. We’ll accommodate walk-ups as availability allows.

Please remember that the Recovery Zone is intended for routine post-race tightness, soreness, and musculoskeletal concerns. Anyone experiencing a medical emergency or serious symptoms should immediately notify race medical personnel.

I look forward to celebrating your finish and helping you start your recovery well.

Maurice Disley, DPT
Official Recovery Partner
Elevation Physical Therapy & Performance
Running Physical Therapy | Western MA | Elevation PTP

Hope you're not too stressed out for race day!

See you then!

Maurice

How to run your best Happy Valley 5K

A note from our Official Recovery Partner, Maurice Disley, DPT of Elevation PTP—a physical therapist and ultrarunner based right here in the Valley.

The Happy Valley 5K is built to be welcoming for a first-time racer and fast enough for someone chasing a personal best. The course takes you around the Look Park loop road, onto the bike path for an out-and-back, and then back toward the finish.

Here’s how to approach it.

1. Start with patience.

The race begins at 9:30 a.m., and the relatively flat opening can make your goal pace feel unusually easy. Resist the urge to sprint with the crowd. Use the opening few minutes to settle your breathing, relax your shoulders, and find a pace you can maintain.

If this is your first 5K, starting comfortably is one of the best decisions you can make. If you are using planned walk breaks, take them from the beginning instead of waiting until you are exhausted.

2. Settle in on the bike path.

The out-and-back section is where you can establish your rhythm. Run tall, keep your stride underneath you, and let your arms swing naturally.

You may see faster runners returning while you are still heading out. Don’t let that pull you away from your own plan. Stay controlled and save something for after the turnaround. Please also remember that runners should stay to the left side of the road unless directed otherwise by course officials.

3. Build your effort on the way home.

Make the turnaround smoothly rather than trying to gain a second with a sharp pivot. Once you are headed back, gradually increase your effort.

Think of it as changing gears instead of suddenly sprinting. With about five minutes of running left, start pressing. When the finish is in sight, use whatever you have left.

A few race-week reminders:

- Don’t introduce new shoes, food, or an aggressive workout during race week.
- If you have a time goal, warm up with 10–15 minutes of easy movement followed by three or four short strides.
- Eat a familiar breakfast and hydrate normally. A 5K generally doesn’t require mid-race fueling.
- First-time runners should focus on finishing comfortably and enjoying the experience. A strong final mile feels much better than surviving after an overly fast start.

After you finish, visit the free Elevation PTP Recovery Zone at the festival. If anything feels tight or sore—or you simply want help recovering—scan the QR code at our tent to join the recovery line. You’ll receive a card at the tent and a personalized recovery follow-up afterward.

I’ll see you at the finish line.

Maurice Disley, DPT  
Elevation PTP  

How to run the Happy Valley course—mile by mile

Happy Valley rewards patience. The course has approximately 620 feet of elevation gain, but most of the climbing is concentrated in two sections. Manage those well and the final miles can be some of your fastest.

Here is how I would approach it.

Miles 1–2: Settle in

The opening loop through Look Park and the bike path are flat, fast, and inviting. Let people go. Your job here is to find your rhythm—not bank time you will have to repay on the first climb.

Miles 2–4: Run by effort, not pace

Most of the course’s climbing occurs as Mulberry Street leads into Audubon Road and Kennedy Street.

Your watch may tell you that you are slowing down. Ignore it. Shorten your stride, maintain a steady cadence, and keep the effort controlled.

Kennedy Street has the steepest pitch of the day. Reaching the top with something left is much more valuable than gaining a few seconds and carrying heavy legs into the next section.

Miles 4–7: Accept the free speed

After Kennedy Street, the course turns into a rolling descent through quiet country roads.

Let the grade increase your pace naturally, but avoid reaching forward with your feet or braking with your heels. Quick, light steps will help preserve your quads for the final miles.

Miles 7–10: Find your race

After the turn onto Ryan Road, the terrain becomes flatter and faster through Florence. Settle into your goal pace—or begin gradually increasing the effort if you still feel controlled.

Keep fueling and drinking even if you feel good. Aid stations will offer water and Gatorade approximately every 2–3 miles.

Miles 10–11: Make one good decision

The left turn onto Spring Street brings the final meaningful climb.

Do not judge your race by how you feel at the bottom. Shorten your stride, keep moving forward, and focus on reaching the crest without allowing your effort to spike.

Miles 11–13.1: Start racing

Once Spring Street becomes Main Street through Leeds, the hardest work is behind you. The turn back toward Mulberry Street leads to a flat, straight bike-path finish inside Look Park.

If you managed the early hills instead of fighting them, this is where the course pays you back.

One final reminder: runners should stay on the left side of the road throughout the race.

I will be waiting at the finish festival in the free Elevation PTP Recovery Zone. If you finish with tightness or soreness—or simply want help beginning your recovery—come to the tent and scan the QR code to join the recovery line.

Everyone I see will receive a personalized recovery card, followed later that day by a complete 48-hour recovery plan.

See you at the finish line,

Maurice Disley, DPT
Official Recovery Partner
Elevation Physical Therapy & Performance
Running & Sports Physical Therapy in Western MA | Elevation PTP

Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else!

Best, 

Maurice