I've been seriously neglecting actually posting on my blog, but I have a few things I wanted to write about, so I figured I should get to it. I actually started this post the day of the race but for probably a variety of stupid reasons, I never got around to finishing it.
Back in November (or so) I registered for the Cupid Chase 5K. I actually did this race last year and it was the first one I did after a long time of inactivity. I know that I don't NEED to sign up for races, but I like the competitive nature and encouraging environment that races provide. So I try to find about one every other month or so to keep me motivated to train.
I was excited to run a race for the first time in 2018 and to do it on basically flat terrain. The weather was even fairly cooperative in that it wasn't snowing or raining and it was fairly warm for February. The week of the race we got notification that they had changed the route slightly because of ice and mud on the course. It actually made me chuckle a little because the map they provided was a hand sketched drawing that, while it did provide the details it needed to wasn't exactly what I was expecting from a race.
That morning I arrived about 45 minutes before the race started. I was easily able to find parking (something I sometimes get nervous about - I swear, it is never the run that makes me nervous, always the stupid little things). I checked in and was disappointed they were out of the shirt I was supposed to get and out of the bags. Most races they make sure that those that preregistered get them, but I suppose you don't do a race for the swag (usually, anyway).
To get to the starting line you had to trudge through a decent amount of mud. It was a bit frustrating to be muddy before the race even started (and I honestly thought about backing out) but I was already there so I figured I'd just trudge through it. And trudging through was an accurate description. The first part of the course was through either mud or snow. I started to run but was slipping like crazy so I decided to walk through the muddy sections to avoid potentially falling. Which meant I didn't run until a little ways into the actual course. Once I was on the section that was clear I started using my intervals. Then there was another surprise. They moved part of the course onto the street, but they didn't have the street closed! So there were cars, trucks and vans occasionally driving through the field of runners and walkers. It was a little scary at times (but thankfully wasn't a constant thing). I've never been at a race where they didn't have the roads closed, or, at the very least, have someone controlling traffic so that there would not be cars amidst the sea of people.
Regardless, I kept plugging along. On the way back I had to deal with the same muddy mess, so instead of going through it, I followed a few people who walked in the snow along the fence of PNC park. Definitely not the right choice in terms of going for a great time/pace, but it kept my shoes a little cleaner and kept me from slipping.
When I crossed the finish line, I was glad I had completed the race and gotten miles in for the day. I had a new 5k record on my Garmin (which is always exciting). Somehow my Garmin and the official race time didn't match, so I'll go with my Garmin. I do have to say I was frustrated that I had to go all the way back to the Rivertown Club to get my medal. I suppose we can all use a good cool down walk, but I'm used to them distributing medals right at the finish line.
Overall, not the best of runs, but not horrible, either, considering the mud/snow/car dodging. As much as I love running on the north shore (flat running isn't easy to come by in Pittsburgh) and as much as I love getting medals after a run, this is a race I don't think I'll ever do again.
