World's Hoppiest Road Race

A couple of months ago we read about a 5K sponsored by a local Irish pub we like.  The route started at the pub, ran up the road, through our neighborhood, and then back to the pub.  Even though I *hate* running, we decided to do it, since it was so close. Oh - and there was free beer at the end.  :)  Race day was this past Saturday at 8pm.  We walked to the pub (and then back home again) mainly so we didn't have to deal with parking.  We found some neighbors there and hung out with them until race time.  Running up the main road & through our neighborhood was fine, because there are lights on those roads.  But the road that our neighborhood is on has no lights whatsoever.  So I spent all last week scoping out where all the potholes are to make sure I didn't step in one.  At least one guy wasn't so lucky - I saw someone step in the big one and then hobble off to the sidewalk.  I'm not sure how many other people fell victim to it.

Josh's mom was in town for the weekend, and she & the boys were planning to come out & watch.  We got to see them on our way into the neighborhood, and then we gave them high fives on our way out..  It was so fun having a little personal cheering section (there were a number of other neighbors out cheering for all the runners, which was cool).

My goal had been to shave 2 minutes off my time from the race in September (I finished that one in 45:45 - s.l.o.w...)  I was so excited to see 39:54 on the time as we crossed the finish line!  I shaved almost 5 minutes off my time!  (by the way, I'm saying *I*, even though Josh had done both races with me.  Had he not stayed with me, he would have finished much faster, but since both races were at night, he stayed with me, so I was the one setting the pace).  Following the race I had a few more people tell me that I should do the Hot Chocolate Run in January, so I'm doing it.  If I can run for beer, then of course I can run for chocolate!  Of course I'd like to shave a couple more minutes off my time for that race too.  I've never run in cold like that though, so I'm not sure how that's going to work (for me...).  We'll see.  It will be fun though.

Even though I really do not enjoy running, I think I could enjoy doing some fun races like these.  But don't expect me to do anything farther than 5K right now - that's definitely my limit!