When I first started running, this race was one of my favorite 5ks. I ran it in 2008, 2009, 2010.

It’s funny how things have changed. AJH was trying to convince me to run a longer race than a 5k. Since then I have completed over 60 half marathons.

My 5k time back in 2010 was 29:34.

After 5 years off (from this race), I ran it again in 2015. And my time was 28:41. So things hadn’t changed that much (but I started to wear running skirts instead of shorts).

I enjoyed this race so much that I re-added it to my summer racing list and ran it again in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2023  (28:27, 27:37, 27:28, 28:18, 28:05)

Pre-Race Activities and Preparations:

Due to the Pandemic, they discontinued this race for 3 years.

Last year, the organizers of the Firecracker 4 race took over this race and I decided to sign up.

I shocked myself with a decent pace so again, I thought why not and my running friends were busy this weekend so it was a good excuse to skip my long run.

Here is the map for the course that I ran in past years:

15 turns in this course!!

Here’s the 2023 course:

Race Day:

The race started at 8 am.

This being the opening weekend of the Saratoga Flat Track, believe it or not, there would already be a lot of traffic at that hour.

I got up at 5:30am and had my usual race breakfast of coffee and oatmeal.

I left at 6:30 in order to get there early enough to get parking and pick up my bib.

I got a spot in a nearby lot, picked up my bib/shirt

and then left the shirt in the car.

There were about 600 runners at this race (I think there had been more in previous years.). So I bumped into quite a few familiar faces.  This is one of things I enjoy most about racing…its social element.

The weather was warm … around 75 at the start and sunny. I just hung around and chatted with other runners that I recognized.

and there was a photo booth so I took my obligatory pre (and post) race photo.

Soon it was time to line up.

I stood somewhere in the middle. This race attracts many speedy runners and I didn’t want to get run over… but not too far back since there was no timing mat at the start.

Mile 1:

I always feel like I start out fast but it still seemed like everyone was passing me by…because they were. My legs felt dead.

But my biggest problem again was the heat (and yes, I know that it’s like this in most places and worse in Florida)..

And it was sunny and there was very little if any shade on the course.

Mile 2:

By the second mile, I was really wanting to walk… I was hoping to wait until the water stop which was about half way.

nothing exciting about the course…just around the neighborhood – pic from 2019’s Saratogian

Now that they changed the course by having an out and back on one street, I was able to cheer on runners who were way ahead as well as those behind me.

I did appreciate those folks who put sprinklers out… I ran through each one!

I made it to the water stop and walked (for probably too long)… but I felt a lot better after.

Mile 3-3.1:

By mile 3, I was really fading but I continued to make sure to hit the tangents (there were 15 of them!!)

Finally we turned the last corner…

I tried to get up enough energy to sprint through the finish line. I had hoped to finish under 31 minutes… a 2024 5k PR.

I crossed at 30: 03. (29:50 – Garmin time)

YAY!!

Post Race Activities:

I felt very shaky and grabbed a bottle of water and sat down.

I was not even hungry (which is odd for me after a race). There were only bananas so I grabbed one.

They posted the results pretty quickly and I saw that I came in 2nd in my age group.

Then they announced that any car in the nearby grass lot would be towed.

Yup, that be me!!

Off I ran and decided to leave rather than wait around for my age group award medal.

I drove up to the lake to meet up my hubby and some friends for a ride on the boat and a barbecue on an island.

Additional Race Reflections:

Yes, it was an early morning and a long drive. And yes, it should have been a 7 mile long run as part of my marathon training.

But races challenge me and I think it’s important to challenge oneself.

Otherwise, my runs are slow and easy and I squeeze them in whenever I can. I also run with friends, some faster, some slower and always with run walk intervals.

So I don’t regret running this 5k.  Though it was a course PW, it actually was a faster finish than my previous 5ks race this year! That makes me happy.

Positives:

• Well organized race
• Well marked course with many course marshals
• Flat course
• Lots of familiar faces.
• Immediate results
• 5 year age groups for awards
• Spectators with hoses and sprinklers

Negatives:

• No longer get free tickets to the race track
• 15 turns!!
• Hot and Sunny!
• Only bananas post race.
• Unisex shirts
• Only one water stop (on a hot day)

Would I recommend this race?

Maybe…

All in all, this was a fun race. Besides all the turns, the race course is pretty flat. It is well-organized.

Not sure if I would run it again because it is not nearby.

In past years, I added more miles after the race a nearby park (and so at least it counted as a long run.)

Final Stats:

Still queen of the positive splits:

With an increasing number of walks with each mile:

Next Up:

Another 5k or two.

And a 10k.

Then:

Happy Running! Did you race this weekend? Do you have a big races coming up? Do you run short races even when you are training for a big long race? Please share.

 

 

 

 

 

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Since today is Tuesday, I’m linking up with Zenaida (The Running Teacher) and Jenn (Runs with Pugs).

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and tomorrow:

I’m also linking up with: co-hosts Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, and Runs with Pugs