I always like to race on Mother’s Day. It usually falls around my birthday so I feel I am celebrating that as well.

This is the first year that I was not running in the HMRRC’s Mother’s Day race. I liked it when it was close by and then it moved to Schenectady.

This race has great swag – bag, rose, chocolate fountain, etc.  I would have done it again if there wasn’t a closer race and beside, this is the year of running NEW races.

So today I ran a familiar course (same as last weekend’s) but a new race.

I convinced my friend, Mary Pat to run with me again this year. (She has been injured so wasn’t that enthusiastic.) Coincidentally, we both pulled into the parking lot at the same time so we walked over to get our bibs.  And I was still debating on whether or not to do the 5k or the 10K.

The weather was picture perfect.  Blue skies and sunshine. A little warmer than I would have liked but I am not complaining. The sunshine was delightful. There was quite a breeze so that kept you cool.

I finally decided on the 5K.  It looked like there were very few running the 10K so I didn’t feel like running alone and it was warm. Also I left my Gu home and I don’t like to run over 5 miles without fuel. So I stuck with my original registration.

I bumped into Valerie again (a runner in my age group who runs many of the same races).  She said her goal is to someday “beat me.”  Great! Now I feel pressure!.

This race was low key. No chips and timing devices. A line on the sidewalk where you started and finished.

The race also started about 15 minutes late while they were marking the course.

As usual, I started off fast and waited to peter out.

It was warmer than I was used to.  This was my first summer-like temp race.  It was exactly the same course as last weekend.

I was very very thirsty and held out until the turn around to stop for water and walk for awhile.  Ugh! I hate when I do that.

Then I continued slower than before.  On the way back, we were running into the wind.  But it felt good.  I am not sure if it was the heat or that I was running too fast, but I found it hard to breathe.  I stopped and walked at least two more times. And this is only a 5K!!

Finally the finish line was in sight.  I sprinted and tried to finish under 28 minutes but could not muster up enough energy.

Final time was 28:14 (23 out of 134)

Splits: (Garmin time – 28:10)

mile 1 – 8:59
mile 2 – 9:16
mile 3 – 9:23
.14 –  8:05

Positive splits! No surprise there.  Not a bad time considering the walking.

The food was just banana halfs and apples.  I missed the HMRRC race’s chocolate fountain, pizza, soup and delicious pastries, etc.

We waited around for awhile but my friend Mary Pat had to leave.  So I hung out with Valerie and some others waiting for the awards. There  were some older women that finished ahead of me but it turned out that they were younger than me. Yay!

I won first in 60+. (I hate that age group. Feel ancient!)

I dropped off my swag in my car and continued to run some more.

Unfortunately it was getting late so I only had time for 2 more miles.  Better than nothing. (My hubby was home waiting to leave.)

The course was nice but I think next year I will return the HMRRC Mother’s Day race in Central Park. (Good food & tech shirts are important.)

I continued my Mother’s Day/Birthday celebration with dinner with my hubby at one of my bucket list restaurants. It’s in the town where we keep our boat in the summer so it’s on the lake (but pretty pricey.)

Our friends stopped by on their boat and snapped our pic:

The meal was great and so was the day!

Happy Running! Did you run or race today?  If not, how did you celebrate?