This was a really fun race!
For most of these races, I won’t be going back next year, because it’s not a realistic pace (for me, at least) money-wise, time-wise, energy-wise, improvement-wise, anything-wise to be able to keep up this many races. But this one is one I’d really like to return to.
It was a short, not-too-expensive flight. It was a fun long Labor Day weekend. The people were super nice. The scenery is fun. The race even ends right at Dairy Queen!
People were so sweet to the back-of-the-packers. I was super slow. (What’s new?) But even if you’re nearly last, people cheer for you as if you’re a rockstar. That was super cute.
Also, at the end of the race, I got my big “Hall of Fame” heavy medal for doing 15 Rock ‘n’ Rolls this year. I have hardly any concept of time. Sometimes it feels like I’ve been doing this project forever, and sometimes it’s like, “Whoa! I’m at 15 already?”
In addition to the half, the day before there was a nice little 5k followed by a mile on the beach. They made it really easy to do both, as the finish of the 5k was practically right by the start of the next one. And the timing worked out to even if you came in very very late in the 5k, you still had about 25 minutes or so to make it to the start. (They also had a number of wave starts on the beach. So, if you came in even later, or needed more time between, you woulda still been able to make it.)
For the beach one, I thought I’d wear shoes. (Who knows what’s hiding in the sand.) But it was hard and lame, and almost immediately I went to the side and took off my shoes. And I heard that most people who wore shoes did the same.
It was fun and different and interesting and cool to do a mile in the sand – a nice little change of pace from road (or even trail running). (And a great reason to come back to Virginia Beach!), because it was so unique!
So, it was a good weekend, in a cute, laid-back place. I’d definitely put this on my “happy to do again” list!
Another 17.2 miles down for the weekend!