Since it’s Friday, I’m linking up with Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 linkup! Join in! Don’t forget to link back to your hostesses and visit some other bloggers.

My topic for today is: Five Favorite Races

 

You know that I love to race and I have run A LOT of RACES so it is hard for me to pick just FIVE.

Just to be interesting, I will pick 5 different distances.

Here they are:

 

1. Freihofer’s Run for Women (5k) – it is ALL women (more than 4000)– all ages, all sizes, veterans, newbies, elites, walkers. When I ran it the first year that I started running (2008), it made feel like a “real” runner. Finishing it after suffering a serious injury (2012) helped me believe that I could be a runner again. And then in 2013, completing it with a broken foot showed me how strong (or maybe stubborn) I was.

I love the downhill finish of this race and I also enjoy running through Washington Park in Albany, NY where I often run after work.

The location is convenient since I can park in town and walk to the race to avoid the traffic and confusion. There is an expo the day before where you get free Freihofers cookies and a loaf of bread.

2. Troy Turkey Trot (10K) – This 10K takes place on Thanksgiving Day and it a good way to burn some calories before your big meal.  It’s the most popular race in the area and so there are lots of runners and even more in the 5k that follows the 10k (10,000 total). This is also the race that got me involved in a running group.  I have joined the training group each year and it convinced me that participating in a group is a great thing and have since joined a training group for the Freihofer’s race.

The course is fairly flat and is my current 10K PR. 🙂

3. Stockade-athon (15k) – This race is the oldest 15k in the country. It takes place in the fall so the foliage is pretty and you run around Central Park and through the oldest parts of the city of Schenectady, NY.

 

It is a popular local race for me so you run into a lot of familiar faces. The end of the race features food such as pizza, hot soup and cozy indoor seating at Proctors Theatre.

4. Adirondack Distance Run (10 miler) – There aren’t many 10 mile races around and this is a great one. It has a point-to-point course that starts in the village of Lake George, NY and ends in Bolton Landing. It takes place in early summer so it is not too hot or humid yet.

 

 

The course is rolling hills but you don’t mind since you are running along Lake George the whole way.

This is the route that I drive each weekend to go on our boat.

Since our marina is next door to the beach, I can have friends cheering for me at the finish line.

5. Naples News Half Marathon (13.1) – This race is special because it was my first half marathon. It was also held in one my favorite vacation spots. I go there every year with my tennis friends. The race was held on my wedding anniversary and my hubby was there waiting at the finish line. Plus if you live in the NE, January in Florida is a great getaway.

The course is beautiful with many views of the Gulf.

At one point, a priest blessed runners with holy water.

I don’t plan to repeat any of my half marathon races but maybe someday I will run this one again.

Happy Running! What are your 5 favorite races? Have you run any of the above?