Double the Halloween Racing Fun!

On Saturday, I did something I have never done before.  I did two races.  One race in the morning and one race in the evening.  Now, the total distance was still less than I would do in a half marathon, so it wasn't necessary a huge challenge or anything, I just thought it would be fun.  My morning race was a 10K, and the evening race was a 5K.

Both of the races were Halloween themed, and I had planned to wear a costume at each of them.  However, we got our first hard freeze and super cold temperatures (mid 20s) on Saturday morning.  Since I'm a slower runner I knew I'd be out there for more than an hour for a 10K, so I thought I would be too cold in my ballerina costume.  I opted to just wear the costume to the evening race, which would still be cold, but likely be in the 40s vs. the 20s.  Plus, I figured with an evening race there would be more people in costume anyway.

Me & Jim pre-race

The first race was the Halloween Hustle in our home city of Lee's Summit, MO.  Jim and I did this race last year.  It's a fairly small race, but it's put on by Bodies By Brad and Jenn - a local personal training studio where I have actually trained.  Also, our good friend and running buddy is the massage therapist there.  So we are happy to race and support this local business.  They have a great set-up with a 5K and a 10K.  You get an awesome medal and technical tee - and PANCAKES at the end.  It's really a great event.  There's also a costume contest which I didn't compete in since I decided against the costume.  I decided to just go with black and orange attire....Halloweenish.

It was about 28 degrees at race start - COLD!  On my Thursday morning run it was 73 degrees, quite a temperature shift!  Jim and I did this race last year and we had both done the 5K.  The 5K had been 2 loops, and the 10K 4 loops.  I was expecting the same thing, and had this thought in my head.  This would turn out to be a HUGE MISTAKE!  I did the first two loops (3.1 miles) and I was struggling a bit more than I would have liked.  I was feeling really tight from the cold and just couldn't seem to get into much of a rhythm.  I started my third loop and literally was the only one out there for as far as I could see.  I thought man, am I seriously like the only one doing the 10K.  I figured the faster runners were ahead of me and I just couldn't see them, but wasn't ANYONE about my same speed or behind me.  I even said something to one of the volunteers - "Am I the only one doing the 10K"?  He said "I don't know, I'm just managing traffic".  I finally finish loop 3 all by my lonesome and start to do loop for when another volunteer asks "Are you doing the 5K or the 10K"?  Duh, the 10K.  He said, "you have to make a left and finish the 10K down there"?  "Huh???"  "But I've already done 3 loops and ran 5 miles - is it another out and back where I can just do 1 loop to get in the 6.2".  Yes, he replies, everyone does 2 loops.  I start running that direction when Jim runs up to me - "Have you already ran 3 loops" he asks, "yes" I reply.  He said "well then don't go that way, that's another 3 mile loop and it's hilly as heck".  I decided to just do my 3rd loop.  I knew I'd still get in my 10K even if it wasn't the route I was supposed to be on.  If I had done the other one I would have ended up with about 8 miles. 

It was a total bummer though because I ran the last 3 miles all by myself.  Where had that guy been when I completed loop 2????  I found out after the race there was some chalk on the ground to show that the 2 races split off, but I hadn't seen it.  That is my major complaint.  You either needed multiple volunteers there shouting - or you needed really good signage to show the course split!  It was frustrating to say the least.  In the end, I still finished the race with just over 6.4 miles on my Garmin.  It wasn't a great race but I finished in 1:13:11 - which was an 11:47 pace (officially).  According to my Garmin I did and 11:23 since it was just over 6.4 miles.  Not bad for me. 

After the race I met back up with Jim.  He had a great race and finished first in his age group.  We got some pancakes and waited for the awards.  It was absolutely FREEZING.  I had been fine while running, but as soon as I stopped it was cold.  By the time we got home I was chilled to the bone and it took several hours to warm back up.

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The 2nd race was the Monster Dash 5K.  It's in the River Market area of Kansas City.  It's a great little shopping area near downtown.  The race didn't start until 7pm.  It was still cold, but at least it was in the low 40s.  I was doing this race with 2 girlfriends so that would be fun!

Yes, the pink tennis shoes really make this costume work...hahhaha!

For this one I went all out with my costume.  The Black Swan!  I had decided on this costume at least a month ago and I had working on putting it together for weeks.  Yes, I am a total dork but I LOVE HALLOWEEN!  My girlfriends didn't quite share my enthusiasm.  My friend Jocelyn did have a cute little mask, and my friend Cindy went all out in her trick or treat gloves.  There were lots of people in costume though, which is always fun.

I was planning to run this race fairly slow.  I was in costume and I had already done a 10k...so I wasn't expecting much.  I ended up running with my friend Jocelyn.  We passed the first mile pretty easily at a 10:11 pace - yikes, I told her, we are going "fast".  Mile 2 was a 10:12, but then mile 3 was pretty much up hill with a few pretty decent inclines and I started to fade.  Oh well, overall I finished in 31:47 (a 10:13 pace) - my PR is 31:40.  I had really run pretty comfortably and honestly could have pushed myself a bit harder in mile 3 - I had no idea I was so close to my PR or I would have pushed a little harder!  This was a pretty small race, but I finished 17th out of 57 in my age group, which is awesome for me!  I'm always towards the bottom half of finishers, this time I was toward the top.  That felt pretty good, even if it was a race that didn't bring out all the fast runners.

Close up

After the race we headed out for pizza.  Great way to end a fun racing day!

Finish line!