Every summer the South Jersey Athletic Club sponsors a race series at the Cooper River that it calls the "No Frills Just Thrills" Race Series. Entry is only $5, $3 for club members, and gets you a bib and not much else.
Each race in the series is a little different, and tonight kicked off the series with a simple one 3.65 mile loop around the river.
It rained heavily all afternoon leading up to the race, then ended just a few minutes before the race started. We may as well have run in the rain, though, because the humidity soaked us through long before the race ended.
Not sure of my exact splits, but I feel like I held a strong, steady pace throughout, and even ran faster as the race progressed. The simple act of pushing myself and trying to outkick strangers at the end was indeed thrilling. I love the marathon, but I'm never really racing against anyone other than myself. Tonight was the perfect reminder that you don't always need expos and announcers and music and race shirts and everything else we've come to associate with the racing experience. A start line, a finish line, and a love of the race are all one truly needs, and I love the thrill of competition that smaller, shorter races like this inspire.
I finished in 23:06. 6th place out of 75 runners, 2nd in my age group.
Each race in the series is a little different, and tonight kicked off the series with a simple one 3.65 mile loop around the river.
It rained heavily all afternoon leading up to the race, then ended just a few minutes before the race started. We may as well have run in the rain, though, because the humidity soaked us through long before the race ended.
Not sure of my exact splits, but I feel like I held a strong, steady pace throughout, and even ran faster as the race progressed. The simple act of pushing myself and trying to outkick strangers at the end was indeed thrilling. I love the marathon, but I'm never really racing against anyone other than myself. Tonight was the perfect reminder that you don't always need expos and announcers and music and race shirts and everything else we've come to associate with the racing experience. A start line, a finish line, and a love of the race are all one truly needs, and I love the thrill of competition that smaller, shorter races like this inspire.
I finished in 23:06. 6th place out of 75 runners, 2nd in my age group.
I was surprised to learn that there were prizes, and I won yet another pint glass for my efforts tonight. Stevie is thrilled as we will never have to buy glasses again.
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