My intent had been to do shorter, lighter runs all week after my great 6 mile run the previous Sunday. I took of Monday as usual, but that day I left to go to Orlando for a conference. Since I wasn't familiar with the area I thought I might be better off on the treadmill. My mistake! I don't know what it was, but as I was running the room started to feel like a sauna. I only ended up running two miles, which I guess is a light run.
Despite my best intentions to get out the next day and just run outside, I ended up sick that night and the next. I got home Thursday evening, but didn't feel 100% Friday. On Friday I discovered that the race was on Sunday, not Saturday, which just threw a wrench in the plans I had made. My son was going to be at his grandparents' house Friday night since my husband had to work Saturday morning. I had planned a solo spaghetti dinner. And then we could also enjoy ourselves Saturday evening.
I have no excuse for not running on Saturday. I was just grumpy after my crummy week and didn't want to leave the couch.
I really struggled to get out of bed on Sunday. So far my race morning routine has been to have a shake or smoothie and some water, hang out, get dressed, and then eat a poptart or a piece of toast on my drive in. I did the same thing here, except I forgot to grab food before I left.
I got to the race and picked up my packet and shirt. I realized that since it was in the 50s, my normal tank top was leaving me a little chilly, and I seemed to be one of 3 people who was wearing one. I tried on my race shirt in the parking lot since it was at least short sleeved, but it didn't feel that comfortable for running since I got one that was a teeny bit snug. Is it terrible to change in the parking lot if you have on a sports bra? I feel like I got the side eye from some people. I certainly wasn't showing off, I was kind of doing it behind my car door, and I don't have much to be conceited about.
I had a little bit of difficulty finding the starting line, so I just went to the cluster of people and tried to face the same direction they were. I could hear someone was talking into a microphone, but it wasn't audible. I eventually heard the countdown and everyone started running.
I don't know if it is better to start in the back of the pack when you are slow, or in the middle or front. In the back of the pack it almost seems lonely and you don't really even get a sense of all the people. Further to the front you just see everyone pass you, and that speed can make you feel off on your pace. I found myself feeling slow compared to everyone else because they were passing me, but I looked down and I was running almost an 11:00 mile, which is way too fast for me to start with.
The course runs about a quarter of a mile back to a long road, where they have you run up one side, then back down the other. There are some gentle inclines, but nothing too bad. The 5K participants split off to go back to the Panera when they come back, but the 10K runners run past that entrance to the shopping center to a point further down the road where they turn around and do the loop again.
I once again found myself with the jog/walkers and some people who make me think, "Do I really look that slow?" There was even one tall man who was practically strolling and keeping up with my 12:00 mile time. But I like having some people around me. It gives me something to push for, to catch that person in front of me. There were even 5K people going so slowly that I was passing them when I got closer to the finish line!
At the finish line were some bounce houses, some fire trucks for kids to explore, and kids crafts to participate in, as well as food from Panera.
http://panerathon.com/cincinnati-panerathon/
Here is my overall review:
Pros:
- Price
- Not too many elite runners- which is good if you want to try and place.
- Location- very accessible
- Cause- you can feel good because you are running for charity
Cons:
- Street cleaning- is it normal to see 3 dead animals on the road? And then since you are looping you see them more than once.
- Food- if you are finishing near the end like me they only had a handful of plain and blueberry bagels left. That's fine, but the reminder that you missed out on cinnamon crunch and cherry vanilla because of the signs makes it sad. Most of the sandwiches left were Mediterranean Veggie. Having worked at Panera, I find that few people order that sandwich, so why would you make so many!? I realize that this is upsetting mainly because I'm a picky eater, so this is not a con for many.
- Course- the repetitive loop was a little boring, but I do that on my own long run so I can't complain too much.
- Walkers- while this was not a problem for me, I could see that there were a lot of people really taking their time and taking up most of the road. I started to see the faster 10K runners having to navigate around them a lot as they came back to do their second loop.
Overall I would run this race again for the price. I'm a sucker for t-shirts. My time was great! I finished in 1:14:50, or a 12:03 pace. I didn't think I could possibly go that fast, which only makes me think more and more that maybe I should try that 15K.
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