This beach race sponsored by Halifax Health benefits Team RWB, a military veteran support group. The run was full of folks dressed in patriotic gear and included a few in over-the-top costumes as well. The Team RWB Freedom 4 Mile Beach Run is a four mile out-and-back on the beach in New Smyrna Beach.

Goals
I don't particularly like running off-road so my main goal was to finish uninjured.

Race Day: July 1, 2017
I didn't have a chance to get my packet before the race. Pre-race info indicated parking might be tricky so I left home very early to snag a parking place in the lot close to the starting line. I got a great spot in the main lot and picked up my shirt and bib with plenty of time to spare for the restroom and oogling at the pretty sunrise over the ocean.

In line for the restroom I recognized a birding acquaintance I hadn't seen for a long time. We chatted before the race and ended up running a bit together before my run-walk-run intervals split us up.

After the playing of the national anthem, a squadron of three small planes passed over the beach in formation to kick off the run.

It was 77F° at the start with partly cloudy skies and 94% humidity. The ocean gave us no breeze to speak of.

Mile 1: 10:26
The start/finish mat was in soft sand far up the beach. After crossing the mat runners headed for the hard packed sand closer to the shoreline. It was a long straight out-and-back run.

Mile 2: 10:40
My run club, West Volusia Runners, manned the water station after Mile 1 so I got a nice ego boost from the shout-outs. It was hot so the water was pretty good too.

Mile 3: 10:28
Another water stop at the turn around. I was sweating buckets.

Mile 4: 10:48
I tried to save some gas for a "sprint" at the finish but it was a slow slog back through the soft sand to the finish mat. My pace actually slowed at the end as I wobbled along trying not to twist an ankle or fall on my face.

After Party
Finishers were offered a nice spread of bagels and cream cheese provided by Panera. Slices of orange and half bananas were also offered. I picked up my medal and an ice cold towel and headed right to my car to change into sandals and grab a dry towel to sop up some of my sweat. I headed back to the finish line to watch other runners complete the run. There was a nice atmosphere at the finish area and I stuck around to watch most of the awards and see the last runners cross the line.

Recommendation
This race had good course support and benefits a great cause. It was a fun race, welcoming of all paces, with some participants in costume and many in patriotic kits. It's fun to run a holiday race but I'm not sure I'll do this one again, only because I've got no love for running on sand.

Chip time: 43:00:07
Placement details: 5th of 15 in age group, 117th overall out of 280 finishers
Race Amenities: We got a nice tech t-shirt but the sizing was a bit large and I was disappointed I could not trade my medium for a small. We also got a nice finisher medal. Age Group winners received a stainless steel RWB travel mug.
Cost: $28.50 (used International Run Day discount code & includes $3.50 processing fee)

Report written July 5, 2017
Labelled pro photo (c) Almost There Photography

I ran the 4th annual Echo Half Marathon in Volusia County back in June. The point-to-point course takes runners from Beck Ranch Park in Osteen along multi-use trails back to Gemini Springs in DeBary. The race benefits Friends of Volusia County Trails, Inc..

Training & Goals
As I usually do in preparation for a half marathon, I followed a program designed to finish healthy that was not focused on speed or any time goals. I gradually increased my weekly long run leading up to the race, finishing with a relatively easy week prior to race day. Because of the heat and humidity expected for this June race I had absolutely no time goals and only hoped to finish "in the upright position" as they say. In general my midterm running goals are to keep fit, have fun, and not burn out.

Race Day: June 4, 2017
Arthur drove me to the starting line at Beck Ranch Park. The race provides a shuttle at the end to return runners to their cars parked at the start, but since I live about a mile from the finish line I would be walking home. There were apparently some issues with the shuttles last year but after this year's race I didn't hear any complaints.

It was 72F° at the start, overcast and a bit foggy with 100% humidity.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 10:45, 10:50, 11:19
These miles took us up the multi-use trail along 415 out of Beck Ranch Park. Mile 3 concluded shortly after crossing a pedestrian bridge over 415, the only "hill" of note on this mostly flat route.

Mile 4, 5, 6: 11:19, 11:05, 11:22
The crowd thinned out a bit for me here, a long stretch on the East Regional Rail Trail. My running club, WVR, had a water stop around the Mile 4 marker. They had written club member names on the path -- hey, there's my name!

Mile 7, 8, 9: 11:35, 11:54, 11:50
We continued along the East Regional Rail Trail until about Mile 9, when we took a detour through Green Springs Park and ran along Lake Monroe on Enterprise-Osteen Road. We joined the path, now a spur between the Rail Trail and the Spring-to-spring Trail, again shortly after a sharp turn at the end of Mile 9.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 12:02, 12:15, 12:26
While much of the course is on shaded roads under oak canopy, these miles at the end are a hot slog in the blazing sun. Water stops here were staffed by kids with water pistols to cool us off and even offered special treats like cold chunks of liquor-soaked watermelon. Somewhere along the way I also grabbed a Twizzler.

Mile 13+: 13:48, 1:53
I was completely soaked. My Sparkle Skirt (Enchanted Green to match my WVR shirt) was dripping with sweat. I had kept a lousy pace and still didn't have anything left at the end. Then a club member saw me about 800 feet from the finish line and ran me in. He stayed an arm's length in front of me and I struggled to keep up for a "strong" finish. Thank you, Joe!

Arthur was at the finish and grabbed some photos of me crossing the line.

We lingered around for a while, watching runners finishing the race while I drank some more water and then a complementary beer. Then we walked home to prepare for a fun afternoon at Disney.

Recommendation
I enjoyed the race despite the heat, humidity, and sun. The route would be awesome as a winter race. Support was great, too. I like this race because it supports the trails with both publicity and funds. I am not sure how much money from the runners goes towards the trail system and I would like to know more about it before running this race again. I wasn't happy with the racerback shirt female runners got but no t-shirt exchange was available race morning, which was disappointing.

Chip time: 2:34:20
Placement details: 18 out of 42 in Age Group, 298th overall out of 479 finishers
Race Amenities: Swag included a drawstring backpack, tech racerback tank, nice medal
Cost: $38.60 (early bird price including $3.60 processing fee)

Report written July 5, 2017
Photo of chalk names (c) Cindy Durney
Labelled race photo (c) Almost There Photography

The Run 4 life 4 Miler for Suicide Prevention is a charity run through the tree-covered roads of historic old Enterprise, Florida. Runners also race along the shore of Lake Monroe. The race starts and finishes at the Florida United Methodist Children's Home (FUMCH). This year was the 7th annual running of this race.

Race Day: May 20, 2017
It took me about 15 minutes to bike to the FUMCH start/finish area from my house. I couldn't find a rack so I locked my bike against some bleachers, hoping it was out of the way. It was 75°F with 94% humidity at the start. In other words, awful racing conditions. At least most of the route was shaded by oak trees.

Mile 1: 10:02
We ran out of the FUMCH property and out onto Lakeshore Drive along Lake Monroe.

Mile 2: 10:24
We did a long out-and-back along Lakeshore Drive. It seemed a bit odd to be running on the roads so close to the East Regional Rail Trail, but it was a nice route.

Mile 3: 10:40
After the turn-around we headed back along Lakeshore Drive back towards the FUMCH.

Mile 4: 10:33*
For the last mile we ran along a road inside the FUMCH property and were teased by passing the finish line area on a short curvy out-and-back.

After the race members of WVR (West Volusia Runners) got together for a group photo.

Recommendation
This is a nice, well-organized race. There was one water stop that runners passed twice on the route, which was adequate. It's a great cause and a pretty route. I would run this again.

Chip time: 41:33 (27 seconds off of my PR)
Placement details: 35th of 156 women; 62nd overall out of 220 finishers
Race Amenities: Nice soft cotton shirt (different color for men and women cuts), nice finisher medal. The top 10 men and women finishers received cute bobblehead awards
Cost: $33.50

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written May 29, 2017

Group & running photo (c) Almost There Photography

The U Pick U Run Blueberry 5K is fun themed race that takes participants along a clay road course through and around Southern Hill Farms in Clermont. Blueberry pancakes are offered to runners following the race, and spectators can also join for breakfast for a small fee. Afterwards, particpants and spectators are invited to pick blueberries to take home.

Training & Goals
Through September I'm keeping my modest base, hoping to remain "half (marathon) ready". This race sold out last year and I was sorry to miss it. I signed up early for this race and purchased a spectator breakfast voucher. Arthur ended up traveling during race weekend so my mom came with me. This was my first run on the locally-known clay roads of Clermont and I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I had no notions of a PR and only planned to have fun and finish healthy.

Race Day: April 29, 2017
Mom and I left my house nice and early but we shouldn't have followed my car's GPS because we got extremely lost. There is a lot of new construction between DeBary and Clermont and for a while we were on roads my car's GPS didn't recognize. We managed to find our way using Google Maps on my phone but we arrived much later than I had hoped and we ended up in long slow line of cars filing into the parking area with little time to spare. Race volunteers had us park in a soft dirt lot and we passed a couple of smaller cars that were stuck, abandoned by their drivers in the middle of the through lane. I was fairly panicked we would also get stuck in our Prius but we managed to plow through and actually lucked out with one of the last parking spots in the over-stuffed lot. There were a lot of runners in line behind us also trying to park and I'm not sure where they ended up but the race was significantly delayed due to parking problems (apparently exacerbated by a tractor accident on the road as well).

Because of the delay I had time to pick up my packet, hand over my shirt and goodies to my mom, and have a look around before getting lined up to run. The race was delayed by about a half hour.

It was 73°F and partly cloudy when we took off around 8AM.

Mile 1: 11:18
It was a crowded start out of the blueberry patch. The dirt road had a lot of puddles and ruts from recent rains and footing was tricky.

Mile 2: 11:52
And then I found out I don't like to run on clay roads. I felt like I had to watch my feet the whole time and couldn't really enjoy the course, which took us along some woods as well as the blueberry fields.

Mile 3+: 11:45, 2:45

After Party
I found my mom and we spectated at the finish line for a little bit before lining up for blueberry pancakes. There wasn't enough seating for everyone so we huddled over a utility box of some sort with a few other runners. When we were done we picked up a bucket and container for blueberries. I thought it was fun to go out and pick berries. The little farm shop window had fresh blueberry treats for sale, and I got a couple of blueberry muffins to go.

When I went to check the results later, I couldn't find my name. When I got home I sent the race director an email and was told to check again -- they had been added. The results are pretty far off from my Garmin data. It looks like they recorded my clock time and not my chip time? I'm way out of the running for any placement so I'm not too bothered.

Recommendation
While I don't personally like running on clay roads, I know they are popular with some runners. The parking situation was unfortunate, as was the late start, but I don't put too much blame on the race organizers -- we were late due to our own mistake and a traffic accident can always unexpectedly add extra trouble. I don't plan to run this race again but I hope to get out to the farm in a future season for blueberry picking.

Official finish time: 38:35
Placement details: 33rd of 68 in age, 378th overall out of 828 finishers
Race Amenities: Runners received a nice cotton race shirt, custom medal, blueberry pancake breakfast, and 1 container of u-pick blueberries.
Cost: $42.00 including $5 spectator pancake breakfast voucher

Report written May 18, 2017

The second annual Star Wars Dark Side race weekend concluded with the half marathon on Sunday. This year I had also run the 10K on Saturday which meant I was in for the Dark Side Challenge and would be getting an additional medal once this race was over.

For this race I kept my kit simple by wearing last year's Dark Side Half Marathon shirt paired with a SparkleSkirt (SolarFlare).

The course for this race was different than last year. As in the 10K, runners would start in the Magic Kingdom parking lot and finish through Epcot.

Goals
Same as yesterday: have a good time, and don't get hurt.

Race Day: April 23, 2017
I left home around 3AM and got the car parked at Epcot. Bus transportation to the starting area went pretty smoothly. For the first time at a runDisney event I used the gEAR bag service, which took a bit longer than I would have liked. After dropping off my bag I had little time to use a portapotty before heading to my corral (D for the half).

It was 72° with 83% humidity when I started running at 5:41AM (5:30AM for the elites). It was overcast and fortunately remained so for the entire morning. Here's a start photo from runDisney:

Mile 1, 2, 3: 11:31, 12:34, 12:43

We left the Magic Kingdom parking lot heading out on Floridian Way. We passed a marching band playing Star Wars music. Marching bands at races are the best. I passed a long line for R2D2 before hitting the Mile 1 marker about halfway down Floridian Way. The next photo op was the pair of Speeder Bikes.

Next we turned onto Bear Island Road, which was very dark. Soon we passed through a very cool display of music, sound effects, and lasers approximating the Battle of Endor. Before we finished Mile 3 there was another (related) photo op: the Ewoks once more. (In Return of the Jedi, Luke & Leia use Speeder Bikes during the Battle of Endor which is the planet of the Ewoks. See what they did there?)

Mile 4, 5, 6: 16:04, 13:02, 18:04

We continued on Bear Island Road, past Disney greenhouses, towards Animal Kingdom. Along the way there was a photo op for which I stopped: the trash compactor from A New Hope. This was a fun stop but I felt really rushed going through. I guess the castmembers and PhotoPass photographers did a good job of moving everyone along because this stop didn't take too long.

We entered Animal Kingdom around Mile 4.5 where we were greeted by some Stormtroopers.

I always like running through Animal Kingdom. Dinoland is a particularly festive part of the park.

We left the park around the marker for Mile 5 where some characters from the 501st were posing for photos. I snapped some pictures on the run but I didn't stop for any here.

In the Animal Kingdom parking lot was the one photo op I'd really regretted not stopping for last year: upside-down on Hoth with a wampa. When I arrived the line wasn't bad at all. I remembered to hold my skirt so it wouldn't fall over (LOL) when I posed for the shot. We finished up Mile 6 in the Animal Kingdom parking lot, where there were some spectators with fun signs.

Mile 7, 8, 9: 18:17, 13:19, 14:03

These were fairly uneventful highway miles taking us along Osceola Parkway onto World Drive. The Emperor's Chair was available for photos again. This time I noticed a poor castmember wiping runner sweat off of the seat between each photo. What a job.

Sabine & Ezra were available for photos once more, this time located somewhere along the course in Mile 9.

Mile 10, 11, 12: 14:14, 18:05, 16:11

Mile 10 took us onto Buena Vista Drive via an overpass.

Darth Maul was stationed just outside our entrance to Hollywood Studios, around the marker for Mile 10. When we got into the park I dashed into a restroom to splash my face with cold water and try to dry off my hair a bit. I'd take the last miles easy so I hopefully wouldn't be too sweaty for the upcoming photo ops. Inside the park more Stormtroopers were on patrol.

Oh, a PhotoPass tent! Better pretend to run!

Next we ran out onto the Boardwalk area on our way to the finish at Epcot. All along boardwalk there were spectators cheering with signs and even some candy treats! I took a Twizzler and it even got caught by the PhotoPass photographer! And I took a selfie. Members of the 501st were also there to cheer us on and give out high fives.

On the way into Epcot Chewbacca was once more set up for photos.

We ran around World Showcase. Most of the lands were abandoned because the park wasn't yet open.

Mile 13+: 17:39, 12:45 Leaving Epcot runners were once again treated by the presence of 501st members. More photos, more high fives, and a sprint to the finish put another half marathon in the books!

After picking up my Half Marathon and Dark Side Challenge medals, I went to bag check to get my gEAR bag with my 5K and 10K medals. Then I waited in line for photos with Captain Phasma and Darth Vader.

Recommendation
It's Disney, and it's Star Wars. You'll probably either love it or hate it. Go with your instincts. I'm a fan of both worlds so I love it. I was pleased with the amount of new stuff on the course this year, not to mention the new course route itself. Good stuff.

Chip time: 3:28:24
Placement details: 689th out of 939 in Age Group; 13215 overall out of 16302 finishers
Race Amenities: All the runDisney funtimes, nice medals, tech shirts, etc etc
Cost: $341.78 (the cost for the Dark Side Challenge which includes the 10K and the Half Marathon)

Report written May 3, 2017

Yay, my first Dark Side 10K! I missed the race last year because of newbie reasons so I was happy to be running it this year, along with the half marathon for the Dark Side Challenge.

For this race I ran as Han Solo. I bought a Han Solo skirt from ThinkGeek.com, and I used a tan tech shirt I already had with a thrift store vest on top. I wore a SparkleSkirt under my Han Solo skirt so I would have pockets a-plenty during the race (I'm hooked on these skirts and hated having to run with an arm holster for my phone and running belt for the 5K).

For Han's holster I cut out pieces of foam sheets and attached them together with paper fasteners that were supposed to look like metal studs. I used cardboard to make a template before cutting the foam. I cut out a blaster shape from black foam and glued it into the holster. I fortified some of the studs with glue as well, and attached the belt together with safety pins that were hidden in the back underneath the vest.

I didn't have a lot of confidence that my rinky dink belt would last the entire 6.2 miles, but it did! I brought along extra safety pins in case of costume malfunction (I had a worry that the vest might flop around as well) and while standing in line for a photo I did end up pinning the belt in place to my shirt because it kept shifting to one side when I was running. Anyway it might not look like much but I was pretty pleased with how it came out for my first attempt at a DIY running costume prop piece.

Training & Goals
Same as yesterday -- I was well-prepared for this mid-distance race since I'd be running at half-speed or slower. Have a good time, and don't get hurt.

Race Day: April 22, 2017
Arthur came with me for the 10K. We left home at about 3:30AM and Arthur dropped me off at the starting area at Magic Kingdom for this point-to-point race that would finish at Epcot. Runner drop-off was pretty great from this runner's perspective; it was a short walk to the starting area and then on to the 10K corrals. I had time to get a photo with Kylo Ren ("hello, son" -- no reaction) before getting into my corral.

On the way I saw the "balloon ladies" so I asked for a quick photo. This team of runners starts at the back of the last corral and maintains a 16-minute-mile pace, which is the required minimum for runDisney races. If you fall behind the balloon ladies you are in danger of being swept from the course and not finishing the race. For this reason they are deeply feared by some runners.

The course would take us from the Magic Kingdom parking area, along World Drive, through the Boardwalk area, and through part of Epcot to the finish line. It was 66°F at the start with 94% humidity. I was in Corral B and started running at 5:39AM (5:30AM start for the elites).

Mile 1: 11:36
Shortly after hitting the road a school marching band was playing Star Wars music along the side of the road. The best! The first photo stop for the 10K was R2D2 once more, with the expected long line. I skipped the droid again. We exited the Magic Kingdom area under the parking lot arches as we headed on to mile 2.

Mile 2: 12:04
Sabine & Ezra's photo op was placed along the road in this mile. I was just taking it easy and kept moving.

Mile 3: 12:29
Another photo op to skip in mile 3: the Emperor's Chair once again.

Mile 4: 29:52
This mile took us over World Drive via Buena Vista.

Darth Maul was set up just outside of Hollywood Studios so I stopped for a quick picture.

Next we were inside the park proper, greeted by a large contigent of the 501st Legion. Photo time! The 501st are what make the 10K and half marathon the best runDisney races around. It was a bit chaotic with runners forming short lines by each character but some people jumping from photo to photo with little waiting and others squeezing in for quick selfies. For the most part runners could pass their camera to the next runner in line for minimal waiting, though Disney castmembers did arrange a couple of lines for some characters and even took photos for us runners. It was a lot of fun to see these guys and grab some photos. Unfortunately the backlighting was intense so some photos didn't come out very well.

A little bit further into the park we were greeted by two sets of two Stormtrooper "official" Disney photo ops.

A pair of Speeder Bikes was out for photo ops but I thought it would be sad to have that photo taken solo so I skipped it.

Mile 5: 16:58
Next we ran from Hollywood Studios out to the Boardwalk area, where there were lots of spectators cheering on the runners.

Mile 6+: 13:45, 10:57
The final mile took us from Boardwalk through part of Epcot to the parking lot finish line. Again we passed Chewie posing for photos on the way into Epcot. And again a pair of Stormtroopers patrolled the stage in front of Spaceship Earth for a fun photo op. Just out of Epcot we were greeted by another fun group from the 501st.

Then it was a quick sprint across the parking lot to finish.

After the race I met up with Arthur and we headed to Art of Animation so I could freshen up and change and we could have some breakfast from the food court. Next we headed to Hollywood Studios which wasn't too busy when we arrived about 15 minutes after rope drop. We rode a few rides and then met with BB8 and Chewie in the Launch Bay. Chewie gave us both a big hug but after he had a look at my medal, which features an Imperial Stormtrooper, he acted mad at me. I tried to explain but he wasn't having it.

Back out in the Launch Bay a Jawa tried to steal my medal when we asked for a selfie.

Finally we headed to Starbucks to get a celebratory Darth Cupcake before heading home in the afternoon.

Recommendation
So much fun for Disney and Star Wars fans. Also, so expensive, so crowded, so hot (Florida in April). I love it!

Chip time: 1:47:35
Placement details: 623rd of 712 in Age Group, 9904th overall out of 10892 finishers
Race Amenities: The usual from a runDisney race.
Cost: $341.78 (the cost for the Dark Side Challenge which includes the 10K and the Half Marathon)

Report written May 2, 2017

Woo hoo, it was time for my second Dark Side weekend! The Dark Side 5K last year was my first runDisney event and I learned a lot! I had a ton of fun then and even more fun this time since I knew better what to expect. I ran all three events in 2017 (5K, 10K & Half Marathon; last year I skipped the 10K) and took my time to enjoy each one.

For this race I ran as General Organa from The Force Awakens using a shirt, long maroon vest, and running capris I found at thrift stores.

The course ran through Epcot, with the start/finish in the parking lot.

Training & Goals
So in training I run back-to-back-to-back on consecutive days to prepare for a runDisney race weekend. It's total overkill though, since my pace for the training runs ends up being a lot faster (more than 2x faster for the 5K!) than the actual races. I guess being over-prepared is a good problem to have, right? Goals for the weekend were typical for these superfun runs: have a good time and don't get hurt.

Race Day: April 21, 2017
The 5K started at 6AM which meant a 3AM wakeup call. I was out the door by 3:35AM and had the car parked at Epcot at about 4:25AM. I had time to stand it the very long line for Boba Fett with Han in Carbonite. At first I looked at Han for a minute with a sad face but the cast member and PhotoPass photogs didn't capture that. I even had time for a quick snap at the Rogue One backdrop before heading to my corral, B for this race.

It was 61°F at the start with 88% humidity.

Mile 1: 23:27
I crossed the starting mats at about 6:08AM. Nine minutes later I was at the first character photo stop for the race, and it was a good one, with a very long line. Ewoks!

Twelve-and-a-half minutes later I was on my way again. But I wasn't running for long -- the next photo stop was just about a minute away. As I waited to sit in the Emperor's Chair I heard runners passing by saying with confusion, "It's just a chair!" LOL whatevs.

Mile 2: 21:13
Next up was an epic line for a photo with R2D2. I got my picture with him last year so I decided to skip this one. This part of the run took us through World Showcase and around a short backstage area before returning to Epcot. There were lots of PhotoPass photographers in the park.

Mile 3+: 17:45, 4:54*
At the start of the final mile there was another epic line for a character. This time it was Chewie, who I've seen many times and can visit any time in Hollywood Studios. So I skipped a hug with the wookiee. Like last year, there were a couple of Stormtroopers standing on the stage in front of Spaceship Earth. I snapped a couple of photos without getting in the long PhotoPass line and ended up almost getting run over by the departing crew of 'troopers.

Next up was a short line for a photo with Sabine & Ezra from Rebels. I had completely missed these guys last year. After this stop it was a short run out of Epcot and to the finish line in the parking lot. Good times.

After the race I got a snap with Darth Vader (I said "Hi Dad" but got no reaction). Other characters available at the start/finish area were BB8 (new this year; he was at the Expo last year); Jabba the Hutt, Kylo Ren, and Captain Phamsa (all the same as last year). The lines were huge so I elected to head home right after my picture with Vader.

Recommendation
Star Wars runDisney races are the best runDisney races, so you won't hear any complaints from this runner. runDisney events are a strange and expensive beast and while I would highly recommend the experience I know they aren't for everyone.

Garmin time: 1:07:29
Race Amenities: Fun course through Epcot, Star Wars theming, characters and ambiance, nice cotton tee and great finisher medal.
Cost: $80.00 ($5 increase over last year)

Report written May 2, 2017

Chimpathon is a special 16K race that takes place in Fort Pierce, Florida. The course runs from the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds along a multi-use path and rural road to Save the Chimps, the world's largest chimpanzee sanctuary. Particpants run the dirt roads of the sanctuary, alongside and between islands where the resident chimps live. The sanctuary is not normally open to the public so this race is a unique opportunity to see the facility and run among the "pant-hoots" of the chimpanzees. Why 16K? The number represents the $16,000 annual cost to care for one chimpanzee at the sanctuary. The 2017 run was the third annual.

Training & Goals
Through September my training is going to be a static "half ready" plan aiming for fairly consistent weekly miles. For this race I planned to run the non-sanctuary miles (about four at the start and four back) at race pace, then take it easy and enjoy the sanctuary miles (almost two) at a more leisurely pace.

Race Day: April 9, 2017
Right. So Chimpathon is way down in St. Lucie County. I opted to drive down on race morning, which meant a crazy early wake-up call. The long 2+ hour drive was uneventful and I arrived at the fairgrounds starting area with plenty of time to park, pick up my packet, take some photos, use the restroom, and otherwise prepare for the race. It was a pleasant 64°F at the start with clear skies and 60% humidity.

Mile 1: 11:06
This first mile took us out of the fairgrounds. We ran across dirt road and a grass field to a pedestrian ramp and bridge over Okeechobee Road. The ramp was a funny course feature that I knew would be no fun to run again at the end of the course.

Mile 2: 10:12
Zoom zoom, faster than race pace for this distance! We ran along a multi-use trail next to Okeechobee Road then turned right onto S Header Canal Road towards the sanctuary. From the fields we ran alongside I heard Eastern Towhees, Northern Mockingbirds, and Eastern Meadowlarks singing.

Mile 3: 11:04
Though we were still about a mile from the entrance to the sanctuary, we could already hear the chimps from about the mile 3 marker.

Mile 4: 10:36
Good (though inconsistent) pace for the first four miles. We entered the sanctuary just after the mile 4 marker.

Mile 5: 13:51
The fun part! The sanctuary cares for over 250 chimps on their 150 acre property. The race took us past the 12 3-acre islands where most of the chimps live. Chimpanzees can't swim so the canals separating the islands keep the chimps safe where they belong.

Mile 6: 14:26
Once we had been through the sanctuary, it was back out on S Header Canal Road for the return run back to the fairgrounds.

Mile 7: 12:13
After all of the walking I did in the sanctuary, it was tough to get back up to race pace. I wasn't going for any records though so I decided to take it easy.

Mile 8: 11:50

Mile 9+: 11:31, 11:36, 0:19
We had to run over the pedestrian bridge again just after the mile 9 marker. Somehow it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. 16K is about 9.94 miles. I wasn't running the tangents so my Garmin gave me a bit over 10 miles (I suspect it might have been confused by the bridge ramps as well).

After Party
After the race runners were treated to a pretty good spread of packaged pastry treats, chips, bananas, cold water, and CHOCOLATE MILK. I didn't stick around too long because I faced a long drive home, so I missed the award ceremony where top runners in each age group received original chimpanzee art.

Recommendation
This was definitely a top-5 race for me. I loved it! Course support was excellent with plenty of water stops and volunteers cheering us along all through the sanctuary. The website for the race is probably the best I've seen, with complete information presented in a well-organized format. The soft shirt runners received is pretty nice. We also got a Chimpathon buff -- great swag! The medal and drawstring backpack are average. The course itself is almost completely open with no shade but the weather wasn't too hot. I wouldn't mind an earlier start but I'm sure safety and comfort of the chimps plays into how early the race can begin. The race provided pacers and is very walker friendly. Highly recommended.

Chip time: 1:58:25 (new distance = PR (LOL))
Placement details: 29th of 57 in Age Group, 170th overall out of 390 finishers
Race Amenities: Swag included a nice soft short sleeve shirt, average medal, drawstring backpack, unique course
Cost: $64.10 which included $4.10 processing fee

Report written April 30, 2017

Featured photo (c) Figleaf Photography

I was suffering from a lame case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and ended up registering for this race rather late. Race reps were at the vendor area for Swamp House and since then I had been coveting the nice race shirt. A late, unexpected promo code got me in. Since I had a 16K race the following weekend I decided to run the 5K at Riverside (instead of the 15K headliner).

The Riverside Dash 15K is a pretty flat and fast run along Lake Monroe in Sanford; the concurrent 5K runs a bit along the waterfront and through historic streets of downtown Sanford.

Training & Goals
Through September my training is going to be a static "half ready" plan aiming for fairly consistent weekly miles. Goals? What goals? I'm just here to have fun.

Race Day: April 2, 2017
Sanford is super close to home (another factor in my FOMO -- why not run all the locals?) so getting to the start line on time was easy. There is plenty of street parking around downtown and I ended up with a nice spot close to the festivities. I had picked up my race packet prior to race day so I didn't have to get up too early. It was about 63°F with 94% humidity and partly cloudy skies at the start.

Mile 1: 9:38
I was feeling good and enjoying the run. This is a good race pace for me, but no PR time. The course was a sort of lollipop route taking us along the waterfront from the start line through downtown streets for the first mile.

Mile 2: 9:44
Pleased with my pace. Mile two took us through streets of downtown Sanford.

Mile 3+: 9:45, 1:37*
The final mile was a repeat of the first back to the start/finish line. In at 30:32 for my third best 5K showing.

After Party
The Riverside Dash takes good care of its runners. There's a decent vendor area to explore and a nice warm pancake breakfast waiting for finishers. After enjoying my pancake breakfast I went to cheer the 15K runners coming in. After a while I went to check the results board before heading home. I began scanning names under my age group from the bottom, and was surprised to find my name listed 3rd for my AG. Three cheers for local races! I wouldn't consider this race to be particularly small but the stars certainly had to align for this non sub-30 5K runner to get an age group award. Needless to say I delayed my departure so I could pick up my major award.

Recommendation
Ugh, FOMO. I had regrets about not running the 15K but of course those feelings vanished when I won an AG (Age Group) award. The Riverside Dash 15K runs a beautiful route along the St. Johns and shuts down a major road (17-92) to do so. I am sure I'll run the 15K at some point. Course support was good for the 5K and imagine the same was true for the signature run. The vendor area plus food spread and great atmosphere make this race a huge win in my book. Highly recommended.

Chip time: 30:32
Placement details: 3rd of 39 in AG, 138th overall out of 535 finishers
Race Amenities: Swag included a really nice tech shirt (gender specific coloring); typical medal; goodie bag
Cost: $28.00 (includes $3 processing fee; used $10 discount code)

*I often forget to turn off my Garmin after a race, so the final time is skewed.

Report written April 29, 2017

Start & award photos (c) eSportsPhoto

The Jenny Albert Hatchling Dash 5K race benefits the namesake foundation, which provides support and funds for sea turtle rehab, conservation, and more.

I ran the second annual event, which took place at Bill Fredricks Park in Orlando. This was an untimed run with awards only going to the first three male and female finishers.

Training & Goals
This three-miler fit into my training plan nicely and I love to run races that support conservation causes so this seemed like a no-brainer. I was looking to have a nice tempo run and enjoy a new running location.

Race Day: March 25, 2017
Arthur and I headed to the venue early Saturday morning. I still had to pick up my packet so we wanted to arrive in time.

We chatted with an acquaintance from Arthur's volunteering days with turtles at the Marine Science Center. We learned the course though the park was a pretty one that included some running along the lakefront.

Before the race the event DJ stressed several times that runners should watch for the yellow arrows to indicate the course. Like, really stressed it, many times. Okay. Got it. I WILL PAY ATTENTION TO SIGNS ON THE COURSE.

Soon it was time to start. The starting line was a wooden contraption built to resemble the markers put on sea turtle nests along the coast. Cute.

Mile 1: 9:32
Way too fast, ugh. We ran from the back of the park towards the main entrance, and then back towards the starting area. We would do a few laps like this, going back and forth across the long and narrow park.

I was paying attention. I saw several yellow arrows and followed them, along with everyone else. We passed the water stop shortly before the M2 marker and continued on.

Mile 2: 10:22
Hey, I managed to slow down, great!

I didn't notice any yellow arrows. I followed the runners in front of me and continued on.

Mile 3+: 11:03, N/A
Hmm, where is the part of the race where we run by the lake? That must come up very soon, right? No yellow arrows, just several runners before and behind. Run on.

At about 2.6 miles I could hear the music playing at the finish area. A fellow runner told her companion that we must be close to the finish because we could hear the music. I realized that I had inadvertently cut the course, along with at least the dozen or so runners within my view and possibly many more.

When we reached the start/finish area no one told us where to go. I mean, obviously we made a mistake on the course because our approach to the area was all wrong, but we got no advice on what to do or how to get back to the course or ANYTHING. A few of us trotted towards the starting line cage thing, trying to figure out where the finish line was, only to find the way blocked by cones. I went back the way we came and asked someone where the finish line was. He had me run around the cones and come up to the finish line which was very unclearly marked. I got my medal and then proceeded to run another half mile or so on a random path in order to get in my three miles (realizing later that I did not complete a 5K (3.1 miles), ugh!).

Arthur saw me at this time and without knowing what was going on he was surprised to see me at the finish area so quickly. Here I am running around like a goof with my medal to get in my 3 miles.

It was a long time before we saw runners coming in on the (presumed) correct course. Totally bizarre. We heard people grumbling but no one from the race staff or volunteers said anything about all the course cutters.

Recommendation
To be fair I didn't vocally complain to anyone about the situation. I just grumbled to Arthur and fellow runners in the same confused situation. Sorry to say I will likely not run this race again. It took place on the same day as this year's Winter Park Road Race which I was sorry to miss. After the course fiasco at the Hatchling Dash I regretted missing Winter Park even more. Ugh.

Race Amenities: Nice cotton t-shirt, cute turtle finisher medal
Cost: $35.00

Report written April 2, 2017