So since my 2014 posts have been *cough* non-existent, I figured that I would post about a few of the races that I have run this year so far to get myself somewhat caught up. My favorites have definitely been the Cherry Blossom 10 miler, the Pittsburgh Half Marathon & the Warrior Dash, so here's some recap action for ya:
The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler: I was really excited to get chosen in the lottery to run this race. If you're unfamiliar, you can't just sign up for this one - you essentially enter yourself into a pool of participants that get chosen at random. I've never run a race through another city, so this was a great change of pace for me and Jim & I actually made a little weekend trip out of which was nice. We stayed with Jim's cousins who live nearby, so that made the whole process a lot easier, too. It was kind of a bummer that none of the cherry blossom trees were in bloom during the run (it was too cold), but it was still neat to run along the monuments and see the sights. For as big as this race was, it was pretty well organized which is always a nice bonus.
Pittsburgh Half Marathon: What can I say? This race is truly a religious experience for me and I love it from the bottom of my heart. I ran for Steel City Greyhounds again, which is a charity that helps give retired racing greyhounds their furever homes. I didn't PR this year, but only came in a few minutes over what I ran in 2013, so I can't complain. The weather was great, though - not too hot and it sprinkled a little bit which was actually quite nice. I look forward to the Pittsburgh marathon every year and I have a hard time putting into words what it's like to run through the city you love so much while thousands of people line the streets to cheer you on. Every year, I look forward to seeing what I'll get handed when I pass through Southside. Last year it was a handful of warm, sticky gummy bears & this year it was about 10 of those plastic leis you get at party supply stores. I think we all realized how disgusting those feel once they start to get sweaty, though - and everyone started shedding them on the Birmingham Bridge.
Warrior Dash: And finally, the race I fell in love with 3 years ago. Warrior Dash is something I so look forward to every year. I'm really happy that since Jim & I initially ran it, our little warrior family has grown and now stands at 6 strong. There is just something about the vibe of this run that makes me so happy the second I step out of the car at Clay's Park Resort. We did up the ante with custom shirts this year, and man - that slide at the end added a whole new level of "HOLY CRAP" to the race.
It was pretty cool that the pictures were free this year. They were previously offered through Sport Photo & if anyone has ever bought a Sport Photo picture, you know how freaking expensive they are. We're talking like $25 for a 4x6, so this was pretty cool to get them for free. They did lose a bunch of the finisher pictures, which was kind of a bummer, but I guess I can't complain. We're already signed up for next year, so let the countdown begin!
Plenty of races coming up in these next couple months, so stay tuned! I love running in the Fall, so I tried to squeeze as many in as I could. Patiently waiting for Freaky 5k registration to open, too :)
Keep Running!
Kelli
