Race Recap: The Lucky Run 5k

On Sunday my sister and I ran The Lucky Run, a local 5k, for the third time. It has always been a favorite of mine due to the fun atmosphere, smaller size, and after party! The race typically starts and ends at an Irish pub where everyone meets up to eat and drink afterwards. This year was a little different due to the typical Irish pub we went to being bought out by a Wawa (not sure if I'm mad about this yet or not..). Instead, we went to a local park to run the 5k and then drove to meet at a new Irish pub. Surprisingly, it wasn't a bad deal.

We got to the park pretty early, as per usual. It was just Ashley and I running the race but her husband, son, and my fiance tagged along to cheer us on. We were able to do packet pick up that day which was awesome. We spent a good amount of time just hanging around, taking photos, and listening to the bag pipers. It was FREEZING so I was beyond thankful when it was finally time to go to the start.

The route was mapped out entirely in the park which is always nice since there is no worries of cars. The only downside was narrow pathways which meant being in a crowd a majority of the time. The route went around the park, looping one section twice. I was happy that the path was completely clear of snow even after our snow storm a few days prior. There were a couple puddles here and there but nothing too bad.

The beginning of the race was COLD so I kept my jacket on at the start. After about a mile I warmed up and tired my jacket around my waist. I felt great for a majority of the race. At some points my ankle hurt but not enough to stop me (I have a history of ankle problems which I'll talk about in a later post). I was grateful for a water stop around mile 1.5 because somehow I was super thirsty by that point and wasn't carrying any water on me. My sister and I stayed together the whole time and even crossed the finish line together. It had been awhile since I had run a 5k so I was surprised at how quickly it was over with.

We left for the pub right after we finished in order to score a good parking spot and seat. In years past they have had free food in the form of a buffet line. This year they gave each table free fries, tater tots, and pretzel bites. I loved this because 1) SNACKS and 2) we didn't have to get up from our table and stand in a long line for some food. Along with the snacks, we also ordered some food from the special menu provided. I ordered an eggplant quinoa burger and it was delicious! I liked the set up of this after party a little bit more than years past. In the past, we would be in a crowded pub, just standing around and hanging out with fellow runners. I liked the relaxed feel of this after party. Maybe it was because I was already tired from losing an hour of sleep or maybe I'm just getting old :)

No race would be complete without some sort of sweet treat, so of course we had to check out the newest local donut shop which happened to be super close to the pub. Ashley and I both tried the Irish Potato donut and Blueberry Hill donut. For anyone familiar with the Fractured Prune, they were comparable to them. Soooo good and definitely worth it!

I forgot how much I loved doing smaller races and just races in general. I haven't been doing as many lately due to trying to save money but I do have a few more smaller races planned for this year to keep me sane until marathon #3 in November. Next up, Hot Chocolate 15k in April!

Question of the Day: What races do you have coming up in the next few months?