I took Friday off and drove up for the 5k Friday night. There was also a spaghetti and pizza dinner. After getting my numbers I headed to my motel, which promptly tried to over charge me and then after hammering that out they told me my room wasn't ready. Really?! They even had a sign up that said check in from 2-4. It was 3pm. THREE PM. Sigh. Fine. I would go drive around to see what there was to eat in case the spaghetti wasn't good. Finally I got to check in and got ready. For the record the travel thing was MUCH more fun with done with my running friends, among whom sarcasm has become a science.
Back to the race start where I met up with my BRF. It was a much cooler evening then we had seen in VB at the Rock n Roll. I was really looking forward to running in cooler weather. Especially since I saw where we were going to run. BEAUTIFUL!
As we walked over to the sketti dinner tent, my BRF's husband noted that there were signs in the potties and were they ever CLEAN! Right there- SOLD. It can't be a bad race with potties that clean! Then he read the sign...Go Long Go Deep. Ha! Turns out there were motivational signs in each one! See, even race support appreciates good sarcasm. Now you know you are among runners.
After cooing about how ADORABLE the little Amish kids were, we made our way to food. (Please don't take offense; they were Amish and really were cute- no sarcasm intended or implied here.) We hemmed and hawed about eating before a 5k and decided to just go light. The dinner proceeds were supporting the local fire department. Always a good cause to support. Now here we have to stop. I LOVE pizza. One of the many reasons I run is so I can eat said pizza. It isn't often I meet a bad pizza. (fast food pizza from Pizza Hut and Domino's are excluded from this- its fast food- yuck.) This pizza was BAD. The crust was hard, the sauce kinda tasteless and the cheese cold. My pizza bubble had been burst. However, others assured me the pie was delicious.
Finally it was time to run. Down the road, through the corn stalks to grandma's house...or at least to the finish line. The 5k was the precursor to gorgeous. I love seeing the outdoors when I run. Streams, mountains and all. I don't like running on uneven paths though. So 5k and done. It was fun. Not a bad run, but I discovered from the hills made my ankle hurt from where I had folded it in half the week before at Rock n Roll. "So don't run on it- duh!" Said no runner ever. It wasn't bad. I made arrangements to get my friend in the morning for the half and off we went to our respective sleeping arrangements. Once showered and having said good night to my kiddo I discovered to my dismay- NO Dallas Cheerleaders were available on my tv! This motel just gets worse and worse. I even checked for bed bugs, just in case.
Next morning up early for the half. Cinderella would have been singing at the sunrise, until she realized even her straight hair would curl in that humidity. I went to get my BRF and it was a pretty ride, even in the creeping hours of the morning. Corn fields, barns, and trains. Once I got a couple of blocks from the town center there seemed to be no one else on the road. It really was amazing country. Picked up the BRF at the trains (yes, she stayed in a real train) and headed to the race. The race directors had warned up to bring our patience so we had gone early. Turns out they were so efficient it wasn't needed and we got a front row parking spot. SCORE! Better yet, we had time to watch the balloons and the run come up.
It was time to line up. The air was humid but not too warm. If it stayed that way it would have been a perfect race. Mother nature had other ideas. The first few miles were great, but that was enough time for the sun to come up and make the humidity feel like running in a wet blanks. Throw in some hills and no shade and you found your self looking for some kind of shade next the corn stalks. My garmin breakdown said was on pace for a PR...until the sun came up. Then my pace also had a breakdown so what can you do but just enjoy the view. Course support was amazing. They weren't loud but they had hoses, plenty of water and even coolers of ice for you, some of which I dumped down the back of my shirt. Even the camels came out to say hi.
Upon finishing in my second worst time we were given lucky horse shoe medals. LOVE THEM! I have already signed up to Rock n Roll (its a local race, how can you say no) next year and am really hoping this one won't be on the same day so I can run it again too. Everything about this race was wonderful. It had hills, wonderfully friendly people, great race support, amazing countryside and really cool medals.
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