The Lupus Loop 5k was first on the agenda & I had never run this particular race before. It was held in Station Square here in Pittsburgh and I was pretty surprised at how nice everything was. If you're unfamiliar, Station Square is a little shopping/restaurant area near the river that has been updated fairly recently. It's a nice place to begin with, and the race made it even nicer by having some vendor booths, a huge stage & an organized method of picking up your bib/shirt.
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It was kind of an overcast morning and a little bit on the chillier side because of it when I got down there. Of course, that is like PERFECT running weather so I was hoping nothing changed. Unfortunately by the time the race started the sun was all like "PARTY TIME" and the humidity climbed to 642%.
That's the thing about these races in early September in Pittsburgh. You do NOT know what you're going to get. The fact that this race wasn't scheduled to start until 9 was a risk in and of itself. Delaying it another 15 minutes so that they could hold a group "warm up" was not my favorite part. It was only getting hotter/more humid and we were standing in an awkward clump while someone danced around the stage screaming "STEP TOUCH, STEP TOUCH! NOW TO THE RIGHT SIDE!".. I am just not a fan of those organized group warm ups. It's fine if you want to have one like off the side that's optional, because I'm sure some people do enjoy them, but delaying the start time of a race for one is not my cup of tea.
It was nice that they had a few speakers come out and talk about the purpose of the race (to raise money for lupus research), though. That, I am always up for.
The course itself was really flat because it was along the heritage trail that runs parallel to Station Square. A few parts were at a slight incline, but nothing crazy. You ran past the new Highmark Stadium down there and a little bit through Station Square itself, which you can see above. The only thing I wasn't wild about is the fact that it was an out and back... another out and back... and then repeat the first out and back. I mean, HENCE the name Lupus LOOP - but after the second out and back it was like.. alright. It was also directly along the river with extremely minimal shade, so running away from the sun, then back into the sun, then away from the sun and back into the sun as the humidity filled your lungs did not make for the happiest race on earth.
To put it lightly, I felt like I ran through a boiling swimming pool when the race was over.
I'm not sure how it was timed previous years, but this one was the dreaded "HOLD ON, STOP RIGHT HERE WHILE I RIP THE BOTTOM PART OF YOUR BIB OFF". The lady who did this to me was doing so in a manner that would have been suitable for delicately trying to tear a piece of bread into the shape of a heart. She was taking her grand old time and I wanted to scream HURRY IT UP LADY OR I'M GONNA PASS OUT ON YOU. I then took the long way to the water booth which added to my post-race "OMG I MIGHT DIE OF HEAT EXHAUSTION" struggle.
But I ended up finishing 5th in my age group with a time of 28:59 which I am classifying as AWESOME due to the conditions.
Now just pray for the humidity to end.
Keep Running,
Kelli
