Run Back to School 2017

I love this race!  There is nothing better than a home town race that benefits the very school your kiddo goes to!  This year was even more special because a) andrew is actually now in school there b) i was part of the committee to help run it and c)stella got to run it after over a year of battling IMPA.  

This is a race I like to do every year.  I love being able to step outside of my door and walk to the start line in 5 minutes.  I love that I know the course like the back of my hand, and that it is a fun and challenging course with up and down hill.  I love that the residents around the course get out and cheer, and that there are so many activities for the kids to do pre and post race.  Plus, how cute are kid races????

I love that for the kiddos, the theme is super heroes, but for the t shirts, every year has a different feel.  Last year it was back to the future and this year it was Star Wars.  I did purchase a few of these shirts extra:)

Plus this was the first year for Coleman Electric to be a corporate sponsor.  I am super proud that Tony's company can give back to the community!

Add in that the packets have stuff in them that I will actually use!

They have been using the same course for the past couple of years, and I love it.  There are some parts where there is side walk and it is challenging to pass but otherwise, nice down hill to complement the uphill parts.

Mile 1:  9:01.  My goal for this race was even mile splits.  I never ever have run a race where all of my mile splits were even. I usually go out WAY too fast and then die the second half of the course. I honestly wasn't really sure what pace I could even muster as it was super humid and not quite what I would call cool.   Mile one starts at the school and goes down 8th street hill to the rec complex.  You head around the rec complex and exit out onto Balderson for your first mile.   Other than Stella trying to pull me the entire first mile as hard as she could, this mile was good. I usually go out WAY to fast and pay for it later.  I liked this pace and was able to maintain my cool and keep some good breathing and not let the people around me influence my race.

Mile 2:  9:10.  I had hoped to get this mile a little faster but I did stop for water for stella at this mile.  I quickly drank one big gulp and then let her finish the rest.  She had pulled pretty much for two straight miles, and she was hot and tired.  Mile two has you cruise down 6th street to the park, through the park and up 4th, across 4th and up some side walks.  Side walks in this part of town are not the greatest, so most people were walking and paying attention to their feet.  I passed several people at this point.  Again, my goal was even, and I felt like we were doing a good job.

Mile 3.  9:39.    Ah, the only uphill part, but at least it is mostly shaded.  You are heading across to 8th street again to go back down to the finish.  Stella was majorly lagging at this point.  She had been mad pulling for 2 straight miles, and I figured we were probably going to have to walk.  This is where I normally crash as well, but as we were heading up those hills, I honestly felt fine for once.  I just tried to keep an easy steady beat, and control my breathing.  People were dropping like flies, and we passed a huge chunk of the people that were ahead of us at this point.  Stella seemed to get her third wind, and we headed for home.  Except one tiny problem.  We had a small section down 8th street where we were on side walk again and we were stuck behind a guy.  He would NOT let us get by.  Every time I would move to one side to pass him, he would move that way.  He seriously did this several times, and I finally just gave up.  I knew we had a portion back on the street for the finish, so I was hoping we could pass him there.  He ended up finishing ahead of us by 2 seconds.  It was just kind of weird that he wouldn't let us pass at all.  Oh well, not in my age division or the same sex!

I ended up finishing in 28:48, which is probably my worst time for this course, but I am really proud of it because it was a very even effort versus my normal go out way to fast at the beginning and die at the end.  We never walked and I probably would not have stopped for water if I had not had stella.  My stomach behaved, which is always a bonus.  We ended up 2nd in our age group, fourth overall woman, and 10th overall runner.  You have to LOVE little tiny races because this will never happen again LOL!

Post race the kiddos got ready for their races by making capes, painting masks, and just generally having fun!  There was even two bounces houses this year, one regular castle one and one that had water and was shaped like a shark!

All in all, this is a SUPER FUN race!  SO much for the kids to do while you run your race, and the money goes to a great cause!  I love the super hero theme and love all the picture ops.  I will be back to help with it next year, as it is a smoothly oiled machine.  I wish we could get runner participation up, but it is what it is. I think the committee did an amazing job advertising, I think that running in all races is down this year for whatever reason.  The kid's races are always well stocked with kiddos, and I am hoping Andrew might be ready for the 1 mile next year.  I was pleased with my effort, especially after doing 3 miles prior to the race (and having to run back home to get stella in order to run with her, long story).  I am so so glad that stella is back to running and is happy and healthy again.  This is one of the few dog friendly races we do a year, and I want to say a huge thank you to the RD for letting us run together since we train together.