Monster Scramble 10K and 6 Month Post-op Follow-up

MS Monster Scramble 10K:
Sunday, October 18th, my friend Lily came out to Rochester so we could run the MS Monster Scramble together at Mount Hope Cemetery. We had never run together and with our half marathon fast approaching, we desperately needed to get in a test run together. We also agreed that running more than a 5K was needed for both of us. I have not been training as rigorously as I should be considering all that's been going on lately. We also decided to test run part of our Wine and Dine half marathon costumes.

It was FREEZING that morning, and snowflakes were even floating in the air. Lily met me at my house that morning, and we drove up to the race together. The website had us park off site and we were shuttled to the start, which was hassle free. The event had packet pick-up at the start location, which is really one of my only beefs about this race. Pick-up lines were divided, the top half of the alphabet, and the bottom half. Once we got our packets, we pinned our bibs on and ditched our bags they gave us in a tree near the start. Then we found a sunny area to stand in while we waited for the race to start.

(Love a good candid... not)

The Monster Scramble offered a 5K option and a 10K option - which we ran the 10K. I have to admit, early that morning when I woke up, I was really regretting that decision because it was so cold, but ultimately, it ended up being perfect weather for running. The race started at 10 AM, and both the 5K and 10K runners started at the same time. The 10K route was 2 of the 5K loops. The good thing about that was that Lily and I knew what to expect the second time around.

Of course right at the start of the race was a HUGE hill, and I was definitely not looking forward to running that again. There were a few other hills throughout the remainder of the course, but nothing that we couldn't handle. There were also some areas of the course that had old cobblestone instead of pavement, so that was a little dicey. Overall it was a beautiful course, and I would definitely run it again.

(Certainly not the best shot, but whatever)

Overall, I feel Lily and I did well. We finished the 10K in just under 1:18:00 (because there was no timing mat at the start), and we averaged 12:37 min/miles.

(Course map and elevation details)

I really enjoyed this race, and like I said I would run it again. It was definitely something different for me as I have not run at Mt. Hope Cemetery before so it was different scenery, and it was perfect for a Halloween themed race. My only complaint about the race was the packet pick-up the morning of. I honestly didn't know that the race had pre-race packet pick up, and this is my fault as I had been so busy with other stuff the week leading up to the race to even check into it. I'm sure it was held at Fleet feet.

(Pre-race selfie in the sun)

Pros:
Price: It was cheap for a 10K. If I remember correctly, it was $25.00.
Water Stop: The race itself had one water stop (which since the 10K course looped twice it was 2), which I think was plenty for a 10K.
Volunteers: There was an adequate number of volunteers, and they even joined in on the fun and dressed in costumes.
Refreshments: Your typical spread, post race refreshments included fruit, bagels and water.
Shuttle: It was great that the race offered a shuttle from the parking area (it was necessary) The wait to catch the shuttle to and from where we parked was minimal.

Cons:
Race Day Packet Pick-up: I hated that this was held at Mt. Hope Cemetery so we were unable to ditch our bags in my car. I wish they had held it at the Al Sigl building where we parked. Again, my fault that I wasn't paying attention to pre-race packet pick-up.

6 Month Post-op Follow-up:
A few weeks ago I also had my 6 month post-op follow-up with my NEW Cardiologist. I found out who my new Cardiologist was going to be when I called to tell them I found out my new valve was leaking. So then I went right to the URMC website to look him up. I have to say, just reading about his training (residency and fellowships), I was quite impressed.

Once I met him and we started talking he mention that he had been going through my old Cardiologists notes to get to know his patients but he also wanted to hear from me about how I thought things were going, etc. So of course I went into the story about I had volunteered at RIT for the echo students so they could scan me as see some pathology, and that's when I found out it was leaking. I told him that the valve looked like it had more than a mild leak, but it wasn't quite moderate, etc. Then I mentioned that I was a sonographer, and that's how I knew. He mentioned he saw that on my patient information sheet, and we continued talking. He and a student that was shadowing him for the day listened to my heart and lungs, and then he said he wanted to get another echo just to compare it to the post surgery echo I had the day I was discharged from the hospital. He said even though I will have read the echo, we would reconvene after to discuss.

The lead sonographer came to get me from my exam room and she walked me to her echo room. I mentioned to her that my valve was leaking, and that I knew there wasn't any post surgery. While she did my echo we chatted, then after she walked me back into an exam room so my cardiologist could come talk to me once again. He agreed that the valve had a mild leak, but that it wasn't uncommon for all valves to leak, and most of them do directly out of surgery. He said my pulmonary pressures hadn't changed, and that he believed that this would be my "new normal." He said I have no physical restrictions, so I can still run, etc, and if I feel there are any changes I can call him. If not, he wants to see me back in 6 months so we can re-evaluate just to make sure that nothing changes. All of that sounded good to me. He doesn't feel comfortable setting me up for annual visits just yet, and that's fine. I'd rather he be thorough.

Aside from the Monster Scramble and my follow-up, I've been keeping busy. This past weekend I ran another Halloween themed 5K (which I'll be posting about in the near future), and I also had a Halloween party which was a lot of fun. Tomorrow morning my friend Lily and I finally leave for Disney for our half marathon!

QOTD: Did you run any fun Halloween themed races this year?

Getting My Life Back

The boards are over!!! That's right, I sat for my exam Saturday, October 4th, and am relieved to finally have that weight off of my shoulders. It didn't hit me right away after my exam that I was now "free" to have my life back, but it slowly crept up on me that Saturday evening, and by Sunday evening I was feeling better than ever knowing I don't have to study. It was so great to sit in bed Sunday evening and catch up on Grey's Anatomy, and not feel guilty that I wasn't studying! If you recall, I had posted that I was giving up my summer back in June to study.

The only stinker about this exam is that I won't find out whether I passed or failed until roughly Dec 15th. I received a print out that stated I'd receive an email notifying me that my results would be available online on my account. That being said, I have a little more than 60 days of freedom until I find out my fate. In all honesty, I feel the exam went well. And even though I told myself I would NOT do this, I sat at work one day last week and looked up some of the answers to questions that had me second guessing myself. Of the questions I looked up, I only got one wrong, and the correct answer was the other option I was going between, so I can't feel too bad about that. If it turns out I failed the exam, I will just reapply and sit again next spring, at least I know what to expect the next time around. However, I choose not to worry about that until I know for sure.

Next, can I please just brag about the amazing people I have in my life? I realize that I've been MIA on my blog for much of the summer and fall (due to my exam as you know). Not only have I been MIA on here, but I also was to my friends. I had not seen Mel and Nita (other than at the Rochester Marathon Relay) since our trip to Disneyland in August. That was particularly rough on me, especially during the last week when my anxiety was getting the best of me, and I nearly had a meltdown the Monday before my exam. Work has been busy, and my supervisor knew I had been stressing about the upcoming exam. When I walked into work the Thursday before my exam, she had left me a card with encouraging words and a Starbucks gift card to treat myself after the exam!

The Friday before my exam, I pulled into my driveway, and I had a box sitting on my front step. My friend, Mel, had eluded to the fact that something would be sitting there and not to be alarmed. I brought the box inside and opened it. Inside I found a card with little notes of encouragement from Mel and Nita, along with a bunch of my favorite snacks, a candle and some cute Frozen items! I was so overwhelmed with the kind gesture from my friends. I'm so very fortunate.

(Seriously, the best friends EVER!)

Now that my freedom is back I have so much to get back to. Running being one of those things. I have not been keeping up with my training schedule, especially during the month of September, which is surely going to hurt me during the Jazz half at the end of the month! Mom and I will be flying to New Orleans for our first time (and her first half), and I can't wait! So much to experience in the 5 or so days we'll be there! Beignets, beignets, beignets!

Last week I also treated myself to a new pair of running sneakers. I have been running in Mizunos, and so when I went to try on new sneakers, I wore my old Mizunos so they knew what to look for. The guy helping me at Medved brought out a few pairs of stability sneakers, and the first pair he pulled out were a gorgeous pair of Mizunos. Not the same pair I had currently been running in, but very similar. He said the only difference is that there is more cushioning in the new pair. I tired on a few other brands to compare, but there was no comparison. The Mizunos are so light, and I feel like I'm running on a cloud. The sales associate also said that people who run in Mizunos often only run in Mizunos, and he wasn't going to try to get me to switch brands.

(Love at first sight)

Last Sunday, Nita and I went for a long run. It was nice to get out and run with her again. I had joined her once in September as a part of her 20 mile training run. She ran 15 miles, then I met her for the last 5 miles. She had to run 8 this past weekend as her last long run before her marathon which was today (and she finished, success)! We ended up running just a touch over 7.5 miles.

(Post long run with roomie!)

I also wore my new sneakers for a test run, and I love them! I had a 10K this afternoon with my mom and I wore them again. It's awesome that I have ZERO PAIN running in Mizunos, they're just amazing. I'm hoping I can get them broken in enough before my half Nov 1st. As for the 10K, it was my mom's first official 10K. We finished in 1:20ish, and I stayed with her for the race. It was chilly, cloudy and breezy, but overall a beautiful course. I'm hoping I can catch up on my race recaps now, I'm so behind!

Disneyland 10K Recap

Saturday, August 30th I ran the Disneyland 10K as part one of the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge, and OhMyGosh, this was BY FAR my favorite runDisney course I have had the opportunity to run!!

Let's start with the corrals. There were 5 corrals to separate the mass of runners. I'm not sure how they exactly broke the corrals down, since they didn't ask for a proof of time at registration (I know this because I had registered my friend Mel for the 10K the day registration opened, and I specifically remember not having to put a proof of time in for her). I do know that runDisney did have my proof of time for Dumbo, so they may have used that to place me in a corral. Any way, Mel was in corral C and I was in corral D.

(With Mel before we separated into our corrals)

(Just before the start of my 10K - upside down because I was looking down at my bib)

The race had a 5:30 am start time which is typical for runDisney races, so they can get the runners through the parks before they open. I can't remember exactly how many minutes were between corrals, but it didn't seem like much time had passed before my corral was off and running.

The first two miles were pretty boring as it was outside the parks on the streets of Anaheim. There were still people out on the streets cheering us on though, so that was nice. Once I had made it to mile two of the race we entered California adventure. That is where the fun began!! All the lights were on, the rides were moving (though no one was on them), and the rainbow sprinklers from the World of Color show were going. I first made my way down through Cars Land where Mater greeted runners and many stopped to take pictures.

(Sorry, it's a little blurry, I think my pic from the 1/2 is better)

Once through Cars Land we whipped around the corner and up to Paradise Pier, here is where I was able to see the World of Color Fountains. We ran down the boardwalk down by California Screamin', past the carousel and Mickey's fun wheel (debatable), and back around the front of the pier. Just as I was coming up to the Carousel, I noticed they were letting people on to ride it. I ran up to the line, but the woman said, " Sorry, it's full and this is our one Magic Moment." BUMMER! If only I hadn't stopped to take a few pictures at Cars Land and Paradise Pier. Oh well, it was a really neat idea!

 (View of Paradise Pier)

(I'm still wondering why I decided to pose like this in ALL of my pictures)

Once through paradise pier we turned and ran down by the Grizzly River Run and back around near the front of California Adventure and ran back towards the Tower of Terror. The course had us exit California Adventure through the side of the park where we ran down a ramp, underground and then back up the ramp where we came out inside Disneyland by Casting and Costumes. We turned by the Main Street USA train station and entered the park from the front.

 (My VERY first glimpse of Sleeping Beauty's Castle EVER!)

(Main Street USA)

I ran down Main street USA and turned towards Tomorrowland, then around by the Matterhorn and It's a Small World. We looped around a back part of the park where they had a few of the parade floats out playing music. We reentered another part of the park, and turned back down towards Sleeping Beauty's Castle. One of the most exciting things about running through Disneyland (and Magic Kingdom at Disney World) is running through the castle!

 (Just hangin' outside my favorite princesses castle)

After running through the castle we turned down toward Frontierland and through New Orleans Square, where we exited the park through the side. Once outside the park we looped back around toward to front of the park and ran through Downtown Disney. All of downtown Disney was lined with people on both sides. As luck would have it, I looked to my right just as I was coming up to Nita and Tracee!

(Can you tell I was excited to see my friends?! Haha)

Nita caught that action shot of me (that will probably be the only decent looking picture of me while running, I swear the rest of them make me look like I'm dying). When I saw Nita and Tracee, I had roughly 4/10 of a mile to go. I finished strong, and claimed my Stitch medal and my 10K finisher bracelet for the Dumbo Double Dare, then met up with Mel so we could walk back to the hotel together.

The reason I enjoyed this course so much was because the majority of the race was inside the parks. Being inside the parks, there's more opportunity for pictures (Disneyland can't have characters on the streets of Anaheim). Even though I rarely stop for pictures with characters it definitely adds to the fun. At Disney there's always something to distract you from the fact that you're running (the rides, the lights, music, characters, etc). During the 10K I had also decided to listen to the Disney music from the CD my brother and his wife gave me for Christmas, so it was Disney all around for me (I know, I'm such a goof).

If you've never run at Disneyland and are debating on what race you think you'd enjoy more, I can honestly tell you, I think you'll be the happiest with the 10K! I loved every second of this race! Stay tuned for my Disneyland half recap in a few days.

QOTD: Do you have a favorite race course that you enjoy running each year? What's your favorite part of a runDisney race?

Disneyland Half Health & Fitness Expo

Happy September, I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. It's hard to believe summer is drawing to a close!

This past weekend I was out at Disneyland for the runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend. If you've been following along, then you also know I was registered for the Dumbo Double Dare. I'll get to my race recaps another day, first I wanted to talk about the Disneyland Half Expo. The expo opened on Thursday at noon allowing runners to come pick up their packets and peruse the expo floor and all the vendors. My friends and I had decided not to go into the parks this day and instead decided to spend the day around the expo and walking around Downtown Disney (Thursday was also my birthday)!

We made our way up to the expo around noon when it opened and there was already a sea of people there. We were guided to an area below the Disneyland Hotel (I assume it was a parking garage the way it was arranged) where we picked up our bibs. As we were walking down, we came across this fun carpet:

I love the retro look of the logo

I realized on the way up to the expo that I had printed off 2 copies of my race waiver, and of course, forgot both of them in the hotel room. Luckily, there is always a place where you can print and sign your waivers at the runDisney expos. Since Nita, Mel and I were all running different races, we had to wait in separate lines to pick up our bibs. Mine was the longest line (go figure), so they all came over to meet me when they were done picking up their bibs. I signed and initialed for my bib and also received my Coast to Coast wristband, and then we made our way back up to the expo floor to pick up our race packets and race shirts.

After that was done, it was time to have some fun around the expo! Our first stop was at the Florida Hospital booth because they had a "photo booth" set up where we could be goofballs. This was our picture:

I had to put on the Maleficent hat

Next we decided to make our way over to the official runDisney merchandise. Unfortunately, once we saw the line to get into the area we decided it was not worth the wait. The Raw Threads booth was not too far from there so we headed there next. I ended up purchasing a Dumbo Double Dare themed racer tank, and an Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) themed tank.

We also made our way over to the runDisney booth where you are able to register for other runDisney races, look at the finisher medals and speak with Jeff Galloway! Nita and I waited patiently to speak with Jeff, and then we both purchased one of his interval timers (this way I didn't have to rely on the beep of my watch over my music).

Hangin' with Jeff Galloway!

I think we may have ended up staying at the expo until close to 2 pm because Nita had registered for the New Balance sneakers on the virtual queue. While she waited in line for sneakers, Mel and ventured around the expo a little more and ended up coming across displays set up for each race to take pictures with your bibs!

 With Mel at the Disneyland 10K display

 With Mel at the Disneyland Half display

I LOVE the Disneyland Half display - Sleeping Beauty's castle!

After we were done with our pictures, Nita was done at the New Balance booth, and we were off to Downtown Disney for the afternoon.

Fast forward to Friday morning. Nita's mom needed to pick up her bib and wanted to explore the expo. Nita, Mel and I all tagged along. We decided if we got there early enough we might be able to check out what was left of the runDisney merchandise. Luckily, we had no issues getting into the merchandise area this time around. I was able to pick up a Dumbo Double Dare Sweatyband, and also an "I did it!" Dumbo Double Dare t-shirt. I was actually surprised with the amount of merchandise that was still available for purchase on the 2nd day.

While Nita and her mom were downstairs picking up her race bib, Mel and I walked around the expo a little more. We headed to the Sparkle Athletic booth. The day before we had spotted a really cute new sparkle skirt that was "superhero" themed. I decided to buy this for the Avengers Half that I have coming up in November. While cashing out I was able to chat with Kelly. She was so sweet! I had mentioned to her that I was nervous for the race because I had never run a race in California before, and since I was from the west coast, I hadn't completely acclimated to the time and climate change. She reassured me that I would be fine and told me this was one of her favorite races.

With Kelly at the Sparkle Athletic booth

Mel and I continued to walk around the other shops that were set up, then decided to head outside to soak up some sun while Nita and her mom were in the Expo. It wasn't long before they met us outside, and we were ready to head to the parks. Nita, her mom and I were all completing the Coast to Coast challenge this past weekend, as we had all run the Princess Half in February (yay)! For those of you that don't know what the coast to coast challenge is, in order to qualify, you need to run a half marathon at Walt Disney World and a half marathon at Disneyland in the same calendar year to claim a special coast to coast medal.

We're Coast to Coast ready!

Overall, I liked the setup of the Disneyland Half expo, and had a great experience! Having the bib pick up in the parking garage below the hotel was a great idea because it was a large and open space to allow for the lines. I had no issues when I went upstairs to pick up my race packet and t-shirts. I walked right up to a volunteer, she ripped the t-shirt tag off of my bib and handed me a bag. I enjoyed the variety of vendors the expo offered. I also love going to the Raw Threads booth, they're one of my favorite vendors at each race! Unfortunately, the line outside of the official runDisney merchandise area is something that is unavoidable on the first day. I believe runDisney has designed it this way to allow for only so many people in the area at one time, this way we're not all tripping over each other. Luckily, I was able to go back early the next morning and get in with no wait, and still purchase what I wanted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is the same way when I go back in November for Avengers!

QOTD: Have you ever had a bad experience at a runDisney health and fitness expo? (I have) How about another race expo?

Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Preparation

Morning all! As many of you probably know, this weekend is the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, and I will be traveling to Anaheim with my friends tomorrow morning to spend a few days out there before the event kicks off! As you probably know, I am participating in the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge. The friends I'm traveling with are also participating in this weekends events (either the Disneyland 10K or Disneyland Half). I am the only one running the Dumbo.

(Source: runDisney)

Now that we're less than a week away, I'm starting to get that "What was I thinking?" feeling. I had signed up for the Dumbo Double Dare before doing the Glass Slipper Challenge, not knowing what to expect. It will still be fun, but I'm not looking forward to the early mornings. My friend did remind me though, that since this race is in Anaheim, we are able to walk to the start from our hotel, instead of having to catch a bus like the runDisney races held at Walt Disney World. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I am able to sleep a little longer for the Dumbo races. I'm also hoping that the time change works to our advantage. Since we live in New York, my body may not have enough time to acclimate to the west coast time. This could mean I sleep better the nights before my races. If not, I won't be any worse off than I was for the Glass Slipper Challenge in February.

Not only am I nervous about the double early mornings for the races (again), but I'm also nervous about that fact that I just don't feel all that well prepared. I have been running and following my training plan as best as I can, however, I just am not feeling as great as I had anticipated for this weekends events. I also have been having some minor foot issues. My right foot has been giving me fits lately. Once I start running I get pain on the inside starting at my ankle and it shoots down my foot. After I warm up a bit, the pain does seem to dissipate, but it's been a nuisance, none the less. Yesterday when I was picking up a few items for my trip, I picked up a new brace that I'm going to test out on my last 30 minute training run this afternoon after work. Keeping my fingers crossed it at least helps a little.

The nerves and "ailments" aside, I am extremely excited about the four new shiny medals I will be bringing home for my collection!

 (I'll be earning the 3 middle medals: DL 10K, DL 1/2 and the Dumbo medal)

(I will also be earning my Coast-to-Coast medal. Source: runDisney)

Not only am I going out to Anaheim for the Disneyland half weekend, but It will also be my first visit to Disneyland!! It's hard to believe that this will be my 4th trip to California, and I have never been. Along with my first Disneyland visit, I will also be celebrating my birthday while I am out there! (And you better believe I'm going to be sporting both a "1st Visit" pin and "Happy birthday" pin!) My birthday falls on Thursday which is our first full day in Anaheim. We've decided not to go the the parks this day. Instead, I think the plan is to lounge by the pool for a while. Then wander around the runDisney Health and Fitness Expo when it opens at noon so we can pick up our packets, and then venture to downtown Disney where we'll shop and have dinner. It would be great if I can get my shopping out of the way on the first day at Downtown Disney, so I don't have to worry about carrying any bags through the park the days we're there. 

Yesterday evening Nita and I finished our costumes for the Disneyland half! She, her mom and I are doing a group costume even though we're probably not running together. Still though, I'm really excited about my costumes for this weekends events! They were pretty simple to construct, and relatively cheap as I had most of the clothing and other odds and ends I needed to complete them. This evening after my run I need to finish packing and change up my running playlist with some new music. I haven't changed it since Princess Half Marathon weekend, yikes!

I hope everyone has a great and safe Labor day weekend, and I will update with race recaps, etc. when I get back next week!

QOTD: Do you run in a costume for your runDisney races? Ever celebrate your birthday while at Disney (either Disneyland or Walt Disney World)?

Run for the Red Twilight 10K Race Recap

Hey all, I am so sorry for the delay on my race recaps lately! Studying has consumed a good majority of my free time. Thursday, July 31st, I ran the Twilight 10K at Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion in Canandaigua, NY. This race benefited the American Red Cross (hence the name). I know it sounds a little kooky that the race was held on a Thursday, but it was in the evening (back to the name: Twilight). I love night races, it is one of the main reasons why I love runDisney's Wine and Dine Half SO much!

My friend Mel had registered for the 5K, and I had registered for the 10K. A few of my coworkers had also signed up. Linda and her husband were running the 5K, and Olivia and her sister, Monika were running the 10K. After work that Thursday, I picked Mel up at her place and we drove to the race together. It's just much easier to carpool because this race wasn't just a hop, skip and a jump away from where we lived, so having a travel buddy was great. We weren't sure what the parking situation was going to be like, and let's be honest, if we did get lost, at least we were together. Lucky for us, Linda's husband had picked up all of our packets on Wednesday, so we already had our bibs. One less thing to worry about.

We arrived in plenty of time. The 10K wasn't set to start until 6:30 pm, and the 5K at 6:45 pm. Mel and I hung out around my car for a bit while we pinned our bibs on, and made sure we had everything we needed (since we honestly weren't sure how far the start was from where we had parked). We decided to walk over to the tents where everything was set up, and we started searching for port-a-potties. None in sight. We finally overheard a woman talking about how the restrooms were over a hill in a small building. So we ventured that way. OF COURSE, the woman's line was out the door and onto the sidewalk leading to the building. Mel and I waited a good 20 minutes to use the restrooms. While waiting I told Mel that if I missed the 10K start, I would run the 5K with her. As we waited I noticed I had forgot to put my Sportwatch on, and was hoping that after I used the restroom I would still have time to run back to my car to get it.

Mel and I had finally made it into the small building, and between the men's and women's restrooms, there was a table of food set up. First off, gross! Second, the cut up onions for whatever they were serving were nauseating. Mel and I finally made it into the little women's room, and there were 4 stalls, strike that, 3 stalls, one was out of commission. There was a roll of toilet paper being passed around because some of the stalls were out, so I grabbed a handful and went into one of the stalls. I set my water bottle (filled with electrolyte) on the floor, and quickly used the restroom, so I could get out of there. I noticed the toilet kept bubbling, which was worrisome, but it still flushed... slowly. Just as I was about the leave, water was running into my stall on the floor from the stall next to me. I quickly picked up my water bottle, washed my hands and bolted.

Mel was already outside, so we quickly walked back to my vehicle so I could get my watch, and then back to the starting area (which wasn't very well marked). Mel and I kind of stood there and hoped I was in the right place. Shortly thereafter, Olivia and Monika came up from behind me. Mel and I wished each other good luck, and she stepped off into the grass next to the starting area. This was Olivia's first 10K, so she said she was just going to stay with me. I told her I had my watch set to 1:2 minute run/walk intervals, and she said she was okay with that. Before we knew it, we were off without any warning which I thought was weird.

Olivia and I had made it about a mile into the race, and we were dying it was so warm out! We passed a group of volunteers, and they asked us if we were having fun yet? I responded, "Sure, but I wish it was a little cooler!" Around mile 3 we reached a water stop (finally). The 10K course made its away around Sonnenberg Gardens, and then weaved in and out of the town of Canandaigua before eventually meeting back up with the 5K course around mile 4 of the 10K. Around mile 5 we had finally reached another water stop. Unfortunately, they had run out of water (see below). The race finished back at Sonnenberg Gardens just short of the starting line. The majority of the course was flat with a gradual hill that we had to run down and eventually back up. Olivia and I finished the race in 1:14:31, which is a P.R. for me! I grabbed a bottle of water and chugged it (probably not the best idea, but much needed).

10K course

Group shot with the ladies!

I met up with Mel, and walked to my car to put away my water bottle and other running gear that I didn't need for the after party. I also grabbed a long sleeve shirt because I figure once I started to cool down I would start to get cold. We met back up with Olivia, Monika, her friend and Linda and her husband. We made our way over to the drink tent and the line was backed up so far, but Linda and her husband reassured it moved fast (which it did). With our race registration we were given vouchers for 2 free drinks (great perk)!

Twilight after party

Once we got our drinks we all got in line for food which was equally as long. I grabbed a hot dog, and we all ventured to an open area in grass where we could sit, relax, eat and enjoy the entertainment. Monika had grabbed a small container of plums and brought it over to where we were sitting for us all to share. It started to get dark out, so after we all had finished eating we took a couple pictures, and decided to head out.

 Great race with a great friend!

Hangin' with Liv!

I had to work early the next morning, and knew it would be late when I finally got home and into bed. Mel and I started walking back to the car just as they were starting to hand out awards. In all the commotion of getting food after the race, I had lost Linda, so I text her to tell her we were heading out, and to let me know if she had placed in her age group. She placed 2nd!

As a little side note: I just have to say, the drive to and from the race were equally as fun as the race itself. Having Mel as a co-pilot was great, and we always have so much to talk about. I wasn't even paying attention when we got close to Mel's place (as we were talking), that I missed when she said "turn right here," and I continued to drive right by her complex! (Sorry about that, Mel!) 

Now for the Pros and Cons of this race:

Pros:
Evening race - this is a lot of fun if you're into night races.
5K and 10K race - This offers something for everyone, runners and walkers alike.
Beautiful scenery - Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion is beautiful, you also get to run around some of the residential areas of Canandaigua.
Free food and drink - Post race refreshments included free food (hot dogs, potato salad, fruit, etc), and beverages (water, gatorade, powerade), and 2 free alcoholic beverages with your race registration.

Cons:
On course water shortage- This is a major complaint! It was very warm during this race, and the only water stops on the 10K course were at mile 3 and mile 5. Not only that, by the time Olivia and I got to the mile 5 water stop, they were out of water! This is most likely due to the fact that the mile 5 water stop for the 10K was also the mile 2 water stop for the 5K (we had merged on to the 5K course at this point). So every single runner hit this stop. I still had electrolyte in my water bottle, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that a majority of runners had nothing to keep them hydrated at this point, especially when it was still so warm out.
No Port-a-Potties- I get that they're gross, but the only restrooms available were the small restrooms in the visitors area on the Garden grounds (see above). It was extremely frustrating waiting in a line that was at least 20 minutes long to use a restroom before the race. I understand that they're trying to keep the grounds clean, however, when you're hosting a large race, port-a-potties are a necessity.

QOTD: Do you prefer to run in the evening or in the morning? Ever run into a shortage of on course "refreshments" (water, electrolyte, gus, etc)?