Yup, it’s true. This weekend is my I’ll be running my last.race.evah.*
*In my current age group.
Yup, I have a birthday coming up, which is going to catapult me into a brand spankin new age group. So this weekend’s race will be my last in the 35-39 division. Hopefully I can go out with a bang!
Sadly tho, I won’t be running any of the St. Patrick’s Day themed races in Dallas. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some St. Patty’s Day fun, but me no likey the huge crowds at those races.
I’d be a giant in leprechaun village.
Instead I’m running the Chain Reaction 5k.
I chose this race for a few reasons: 1. I live nearby. 2. Registration was affordable. 3. All proceeds go to a good charity. 4. A couple times per week I run the trails this race is utilizing, so I’m familiar. 5. It looks to be a small race.**
**With small races, odds go up of placing…even in my super competitive current age group!
That all said, even though I run in this park all the time, I’m not sure how they’re going to host a 5k there. I know for a fact that the main trail is only about 1 mile around. I reached out to them for the course map, which they very kindly sent me. But to be honest, the map cornfuses me.
I can’t make heads or tails of this route.
They say it’s a two lap race, but I don’t get which directions it goes. And also, the map clearly shows that we go off pavement to dirt mud trails for a section. That’s not good because it’s been raining non-stop here in North Texas.
This is what I kept telling myself all week.
I again reached out to the race folks, who assured me the race is all on pavement. If that’s the case, then the map is wrong, so I’m even more cornfused.
Anyways, I’m probably over-thinking it. I need to just go to the race and have fun trying to run fast. But what would runners do if we weren’t obsessing over running details. Am I right?
And those who know me know I also obsess over tacos. So now I’m off for some pre-race veggie ones!
This will help me run fast, right?
Stay tuned for the recap where all the mysteries will be solved!
How bout you? Can you figure out that course map? Are you celebrating St. Pat’s? Do you have a prediction for my performance?
-Scott
Piratebobcat 
Good luck, and have fun!
Thank you, I did!
Maybe you do the little loop twice and then full around? I don’t know, that’s a toughy, LOL. Happy early birthday and I hope you have an amazing race! (Pass me a taco please!!)
Ha, well I talked to the timing guy at the race and he said we were supposed to run it like a figure 8. Too bad the volunteers didn’t know that – we totally missed a big section. Thanks so much!!! Yes, tacos for all!
Lol!!!
Well aren’t you the clever one!
I know, right?!?! 😉
Have a fun fabulous race!! Rock it!! XOXO
Thanks so much Kristin!!! I totally rocked it! XOXO
Have a great race!!
Thank you! It went pretty well, I could say!
Happy birthday!!!! Yeah, that map isn’t very helpful, have a great race!
Thank you! And no, it wasn’t very helpful. It even confused the race volunteers.
That’s a confusing map. I’m not sure if this is what they intend (and if so, it’s a strange route). Start at bottom of loop, go clockwise up halfway and then do the upper loop (going counter clockwise). Then finish the other side of the bigger lower loop (clockwise) that will bring you back to start/finish. Then do another clockwise lower loop. Finally repeat the first part again – half of the bigger loop, upper loop, and the other half of lower loop.
If this is the course, it’s poorly designed and a lot of runners are going to go off track.
Hahahahaha, yes, that is awful! Well, I talked to the timing guy after the race and he said we were supposed to run a figure 8 two times. That would’ve been a disaster. I was already having to bob and weave around walkers on the second lap, I can’t imagine if we were having to criss cross eachother!!!
That map sure is goofy! Can’t wait to hear how it actually went. Happy Birthday for the big 4-0. The best years are ahead. Good luck with the race.
It was totally wonky! The race did go pretty well tho! And thank you! I’m glad to hear the good years are coming!
I love those tiny green hats.
I’ve only been racing as a 30-34 year old and never thought about birthdays sometimes meaning new age groups. I’ll join the 35-39 age group this year. I think I will like that.
Ha, well it never seems to get easier. I remember when I turned 35 I ran a race a few days later. I was so pumped to be the youngest in the age group. But I came nowhere close to placing. HOWEVER, I looked at the 30-34 times and I would’ve freaking finished first. You never know! Good luck in your new age group!
I always find race maps totally confusing. I swear who ever makes them is just trying to get us lost before we get started. Sometimes in the middle of the race I will think, “Oh that’s what they were trying to show!” I hope you have a great race. I move to a new age bracket this fall and some of my athletes were all sad that they are. I kindly pointed out that new age groups means new chances for prizes! And BQ times go down. Heck yeah old age!
Haha, yes, I don’t know who’s designing these maps. Whenever I come up with a route for people to run, I keep it as simple as possible – like one big giant square.
Anyways, the course was screwed up, but I still had a good race!
Good luck in your new age group! And I hadn’t thought of that – BQ times slow a bit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m finally catching up in the ol’ blog world. That map looks totally confusing. Thanks to IG I know how this one goes for you! I won’t say any more.
Hahahaha, well thanks for preserving the secret!
Are the mysteries solved??? And welcome to Masters 🙂 It’s not a bad place to be, another place to place. I wasn’t able to enjoy any green races, as my marathon is next weekend and if I race, I have to RACE, so that’s a no-no for me. Going to go make tacos now. Not sure why I always crave them when I read blogs…. Oh, and I’m dying to know the course – the map is, um, well, the map sucks!
The mysteries are solved – it was a total disaster. The volunteers didn’t understand the course either, and the route we ran was a mile short!!!! I still did pretty well though! Masters?!?! Did you just say that?!?!? Haha, sheesh!
I’m like you, I have to RACE a race!!!! I don’t understand friends who just do it for fun, take pictures, lolly gag.
Good luck on your marathon!!! I hope you get reward tacos.
That course map is super confusing! Hope it turns out good though. Have fun running your last race in your current age group 😀
It even confused the race volunteers. Needless to say, it was kind of a cluster. But I still did well. And thanks! New age group tomorrow, new race this weekend!
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Glad your last race* went so well!!!
Thanks* so much! 😉
40?! Awesome. Just email me directions to the party. Talk to ya.
Thanks! It’s this Sunday in Dallas. Just start driving SouthWest.