Run Walk and Roll for a Drug Free Community 5K Race Report (2012)
Do you ever feel like you have to do a race because you’ve done it for a few years and want to keep the streak going?
I have several races that I continue to do each year, and it looks like the Run Walk and Roll for a Drug Free Community 5K is making its way on to that list! I ran it with my older brother in 2010 and 2011, and this year, I ran it and my Aunt Sue ran/walked it. It was her first 5K and she finished in just over 41 minutes! I am so proud of her! Congrats Sue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me and Sue after the race – posing with our door prizes. This race is only $18 (CHEAP!!!) and I have received a door prize every year. This year, it was a gift certificate to my uncle’s bar. What are the odds?
I wasn’t very prepared for this race. I knew I would be in my hometown when it was happening, but I didn’t know if I would run it or not, and was too lazy to do speed work… oops. I did know though, when I woke up Saturday morning, that I would regret not doing it, and breaking the race streak. And I figured, heh, the field is small and that I had a good chance to place in my age group, or even win the race.
Well, the field used to be small. When we arrived to register, there was a huge line and they even ran out of the t-shirt size we wanted. It’s great to see the race grow and have more money raised for the Substance Abuse/Mental Counseling Clinic that puts on the race. But I would be lying if I said I was not thinking about the fact that more runners meant less of a chance of placing in this small race! Heh heh heh.
So, let’s make this brief. The course is tough – down a hill/up a hill with a little bit of cross country. I didn’t warm up (major NO NO), didn’t have my crutch (my music*) and was mentally not in to it. I ran positive splits and finished in 26:18. And the course is only 3 miles long! Ha! But, I didn’t walk at all, or think “I am never racing again.” I often have that thought during 5Ks, so that is huge for me. And this is a course record for this “5K.”
And… I did finish 6th or 7th woman overall, and 1st in my age group (20-29).
But the best part of it all was watching Sue finish the race with my parents!
I was cheering pretty loudly when she crossed the finish line!
Second best part of the race – assortment of homemade goodies and a bucket full of Halloween treats and games…
and this year they added massages! Thanks for the pic, Mom.
I know if I am in town next year, I’ll be back!
*Was my own decision not to have it.
Themocracy
There are a few races like that for me as well! Good job – getting through a 5K without the ‘I am never racing again’ thought sounds pretty successful to me!
Great job on the 5k! I think its fun to run the same race every year even if you don’t race it each year.
The post race food is why I love the smaller community races. They seem to do the best in giving us what we REALLY want after a race… 🙂
Oh yeah! Small community races are definitely the way to go!!!
Way to go!!!
WI is becoming that for me – I want to run it every year! And I love how you neglect to say anything about, oh, running 20 the day before? You are a rock star 🙂
Ha ha ha. I just thought if I mentioned it it would make me sound like I regretted it, which I didn’t 😉
Glad I’m not the only one who thinks “I’m NEVER racing again”
I love it when family members start running. My cousin in Denver starting running and I want us to do a half together or a marathon relay (1/2 & 1/2)!
1st place….love it!
YES! I hope you do get too! Running with family is really fun! I am doing a trail race with my BiL this weekend 🙂
Congrats on the age group win! Your race day outfit is so cute! Congrats to your aunt! The first 5k is usually just the beginning….. 🙂
Congrats on the AG win! Sounds like a tough course with those darn hills.
I feel obligated to run a turkey trot each year. I’ve done one (all different ones) for the past 5 years. I have to run on thanksgiving morning! I’m also feeling a pull to run the Chicago marathon each year for as long as I live here too…
Congrats on the course record and #1 age group medal! You did it even with the expanded field. It is pretty amazing how popular racing has become and seems to be still attracting new runners. A lot of races that were small three years ago are no longer that small.
haha! What Bobbi said! You ran 20 the day before! Congrats!!
Congrats!! I LOVE hearing about Aunt Sue doing it! I’m hoping to one day do one of these with my mom/dad and I can only imagine how that’d feel! congrats lovely!
Yay for Sue! And, of course, congrats on the age group win. Maybe next year you can win the whole thing 🙂
Last year the winning time was 25:40. This year, some 13 year old won it in under 24 minutes. I am not sure I have much of a chance. Ha!
I always run the Detroit Turkey Trot even though it’s a difficult race to get to and I have to run it on little sleep (getting in from Chicago at midnight the night before). It’s tradition!
Congrats on winning your age group the day after running 20 miles. That’s awesome 🙂
That is a great tradition! Is the Trot a 5K?
They have a 5k and 10k option. I usually run the 10k though!
This past February I did a tiny 5K in rural southwest Michigan. The race was put on by my college roommate’s friend’s family and the post-race food was AWESOME. Lots of yummy snacks and treats. And I think you could register and pick a long sleeve shirt or knit hat or pay more for both (of course I opted for both, it was still pretty cheap). The winners got handmade hats and scarves.
And congrats on a successful race!
Woohoo! Way to go, Kim! I am starting to love smaller races myself!
Good job! Your post makes me want to run it next year!
Sigh. A slow 5k that you’re not into would be super fast for me! But that’s awesome that you placed so high! I need to find a really small, slow-moving 5k here to get myself a medal 😉 And congrats to your aunt for finishing her first 5k!
It sounds like a great race to run each year! Door prizes, treats, AND first in your age group? You are a winner!!!
Nice 1st place finish!
I think every run in Iowa is hilly since I moved and started running in the Chicago area. It is just so flat here!
Congrats on the big finish! I’ve been running a lot of smaller 5Ks these past few months and I can’t deny the fact that placing in my division is always a motivator to register (and run fast)! And congrats to your aunt for running her first 5K!
The Dash will be my first repeat race. Congratulations on your 1st place in AG finish! But finishing in 6th overall is AMAZE! Love that you won a door prize to your Uncle’s bar! And a huge congrats to your Aunt on her first 5K! That is awesome!