Walhalla Elementary kicked off this spring race season with their 5k/1mi run. I didn't run in it -- if anybody wants to tell us how it went and what the course is like, please do. Looking at the results I see that participation was up from last year, which was (I think) their first year, so that's cool ... and indicative of what this spring would be like.
The Chik-Fil-A sponsored Volunteers In Medical Missions 5k at South Cove Park is my pick for "best race for the non-running spouse and kids." It's a bit cold yet for swimming in the lake, but there's the playground, fun run, music, and the beautiful park grounds. This is also my pick for "most scenic course." Looking at the results, I see that participation was the best in several years, with 262 finishers in the 5k. This race has a good mix of "real runner" fast people (which gives an atmosphere of excitement) and "ordinary" people jogging, walking and pushing strollers. This is a very good event for someone doing their first 5k.
Rain put a damper on the inaugural Crossroads Christian Fellowship 5k at Yoder's Building Supply in Fairplay. Still, turnout wasn't too bad, and it was well staffed with volunteers. A few of the local elite runners were there, but nobody made any personal records, I'm sure.The thing that struck me the most at this race was the kids. There were some tough younguns out there. The hills on this course are challenging anyway, and the wind and rain that morning were downright ... exciting. It was something to see some of those kids trudging through it, up that last hill. The rain had stopped before the 1 mile run, and we got to see some of those same kids clock impressive times. You should have seen the winner, a girl, cross the finish line with one shoe on.
I hope they advertise more next year and get a good turnout. Maybe this race could become known as the true-test challenge for the tough runners in our area. Or maybe there's some cross-country pasture land out there, they could make it a trail run -- we could use a 5k trail run around here. Or maybe a 10k? Pretty country out there for it, and if they could find the right place it might be more flat than most of the trails in this area, which are mostly in the mountains. Instead of the hilliest road race, maybe they could have the flattest trail race. Maybe I should keep my dumb ideas to myself, but whatever they do I hope they have better weather next year -- I look forward to running it again.
That's the thing about the foothills: we got hills. "The toughest course on the elementary circuit" is what they call the Northside 5k. I don't think it was as steep as Crossroads, but that one hill is long. And again with the kids! There were a lot of them out there, this being organized by a public school, and it was held in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration, with bounce houses and exhibits. They also had a big turnout: 202 5k finishers, their best yet for this event.
The flattest 5k in the county is Oconee Road Runners Club's Walhalla Eagle race. The 12k is hilly, but the 5k is pretty flat (for around here) and straight (for around here). So, depending on the weather, this could be the race to shoot for a personal record. The weather was kind of warm this year, which made the 12k tough. This is also the longest road race in the county (there is a 50k trail run in June) and one of only two with cash prizes (Seneca Fest is the other).
(The Chick-fil-a VIMM race is second flattest. Not by much, but it packs most of it's elevation change into one big hill.)
100 volunteers, plenty of sponsors, and helpful police and emergency staff all make for a good race. And when you dream of, maybe, 30-40 people at your first event, and you get more than 130, you've reason to be pleased. The "Best Inaugural Event" prize has to go to the Foothills 5k. "And the Beat Goes On" is the race's motto, it benefits the Foothills Pregnancy Care Center, and it was a big success. The course is moderately hilly, with lots of turns, through mostly shaded residential back streets. Not only were there volunteers at every turn, they were enthusiastic about cheering you on.
From talk I overheard in the crowd, there were quite a few first-time and first-in-a-long-timers there. That's the cool thing about the surge in running happening in Oconee this year -- there aren't just more events, there are more people participating in them. Also, if anything would indicate that this increased interest in running will last, it would be the number of young people getting into it -- and there have been lots of young folks in most of these events. Old folks are also blessings, providing essential elements to any club, sport, movement, "scene" ... anything ... and I noticed a lot of them at the Foothills 5k. It is inspiring to see them and their example.
The city of Seneca has been doing pretty good lately with events, like youth baseball and fishing tournaments. The Seneca Fest was already a pretty big deal, and it was good to see the new 5k successful, contributing to making Seneca a "place to go."This is another typically hilly Oconee course, and it's getting kind of warm and humid by this time -- so this isn't a personal record race, but it does have cash prizes: first, second, third overall, $300-$100-$50. There was one territorially protective (and loose) dog about to go into apoplexy over all the people tromping down his road. Maybe they can ask the owner to put him up for a couple hours next year. It's a pretty, mostly shaded course, and Shaver is a great place to have something like this, with bathrooms and playgrounds and adequate parking. This is another "convenient for the non-running spouse and kids" event, and then there's all the festivities going on downtown.
Good race. It was great to end this spring season on such an up note. I heard that they were planning/expecting 50 people or so for this inaugural run, and by the close of pre-registration they had 70 signed up. That's encouraging, but then on the morning of the race the people started LINING UP. By the time the race started, there were well over 100 participants: 127 finishers in the 5k, plus the 1 mile. There is a running boom in Oconee, not just in the number of events, but in the number of participants at them ... and ... the announcer guy at the Seneca Fest said something about a half-marathon in the works for next year. Hot diggity! [update: I think that was Riley Johnson, Seneca's Events and Public Relations Coordinator.]
Enjoy the summer, be safe. Good luck to anybody running the Chatooga River 50K (yes, that a fifty) on June 6th. If there are any runs during the summer that I don't know about, please tell me so I can put it on the calendar. Otherwise, I'll see y'all at the Apple Festival in September. Or you could come to a ORRC meeting, first Thursday every month (except July) at Ye Old Sandwich Shoppe: eat at 6 meet at 7. They have good ice cream, and we're friendly folks, usually. Happy running, walking, whatever!
No comments:
Post a Comment