Finally Racing in Chicago - Hot Chocolate 15k

One of my goals before moving to FL was to run a race in downtown Chicago, I had initially thought about running the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon but saw the Hot Chocolate 15k and was instantly attracted to it. What could go wrong at a race distance I had never run before, in the middle of a city, that had hot chocolate and fondue as one of the perks?

Photo Source: Hot Chocolate Chicago

The expo was awesome! I attended the expo on Saturday November 7th and was blown away by the amount of people and vendors present. The bib pick up and jacket pick up was extremely simple and organized. It took my mom and I about 10 minutes to get our bibs and jackets, with some of those 10 minutes being spent grabbing samples of hot chocolate and marshmallows. The jacket that you receive with your race registration is extremely soft and has become one of my lounge staples. I only bought some headbands from Sparkly Soul and debated about getting a car magnet but was too undecided to pick just one.

My New Sparkly Soul Headbands! 

  As you can see from the pictures of my expo swag below, I made out like a bandit and enjoyed every minute of it! If you can see it in the picture of my jacket there's a cute blue/grey racing buff. I received this buff because I used a code from one the Hot Chocolate ambassadors. Hopefully one day I'll be able to share a fun code with my readers.

A Jacket, Bag, and Buff! Major Win!

So Many Marshmallows! 

During the expo there were various picture opportunities set up, because I was with my mom I decided to not push the issue about taking a ton of pictures and just took one with my bib.

The morning of the race got off to an extremely early start. The night before I had stayed at my uncles house along the Blue Line and had a much shorter commute than I would have had if I had stayed at home. The access to this closer house was greatly appreciated, but I still had to get up a dark o'thirty and function on a fairly normal level. My dad was kind enough to drive my mom and I to Grant Park so we didn't have to take the el, and we got there much earlier than planned. Just after he dropped us off we realized that my mom had left her phone in the car. Because of the amount of people that would be here we needed her phone for connecting after the race and spent a good 15 minutes getting my dad to turn the car around and deliver the phone. 

Once the phone had been retrieved we separated because she would be participating in the 5k and I had elected to run the 15k. These two events are split for the start and the signage to get to our respective corrals was impressive. At no point did I feel like I was lost or confused. 

The split for the 15K and 5K. 15K on the left, 5K on the right. 

I quickly found my corral and a was happy to see that it was by a grassy area to stretch. I had submitted a proof of time from the Crystal Lake Half Marathon and was happy to see that I was placed in a "preferred corral" for this race.

When I entered my corral I found the people that were with me to be extremely friendly. There were a few ladies in my corral with the same leggings and we had a good laugh over cheap, yet cute leggings from Kohls. While I was setting up my tracker and music I heard my name being called by a familiar voice. Much to my excitement some of my friends from Running Depot had been placed in the same corral. We were lucky enough to get a picture together from the official photographer. 

Once the race started I stayed with my friends for a bit, but we ended up splitting up. I was trying to PR and they were just planning on having fun. The race weaves on Lower Wacker for a bit and despite fearing this section I actually found it easy. There was a strong presence of race officials and police so I never felt uncomfortable, plus the street was clean and easy to navigate. There was a slight smell to the area but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. 

Once we were out of Lower Wacker the rest of the race was "above ground". I found the course well marked, and well staffed. 

During the first three miles I seriously debated dropping down the 5K course but knew that if I did I would really regret my decision. During these first three miles I dropped my water belt, had my music glitch, and my fitbit tracker was completely off. It was insisting that I was running 6 minute miles. The 5k course and the 15k course stay together until about mile 2.5 and then they split. I've heard stories from other runners about how they accidentally jumped on the wrong course but I have no idea how that could have happened. This course was extremely well marked out and there were a ton of volunteers making sure that the runners stayed on the correct course. 

Past the 15K/5K split I found the race became easier. The crowd thinned out and I was able to focus more on running my race and not trying to "show off". During this section of the race I found myself focusing more on the scenery and less on maintaining my pace. Because I was running through sections of the city that I don't normally experience, I decided that it was perfectly alright to just enjoy the course. 

The only part of the course that I did not enjoy was the section through McCormick Place. This area does get dark, like pitch black, dark. So I ended up turning off my music and slowing down. I figured that any lost time would be worth it, the last thing I wanted to do was trip and injure myself. 

Once I had finished this section I felt like I had won. The majority of the race was over and I felt super accomplished. The final section was fairly hilly but I honestly didn't find them too bad. These hills were steep and a bit twisty but they were manageable. Running into the finish felt amazing, there was a huge crowd along the course cheering the runners on, and the atmosphere was awesome. Everyone was so festive and excited. 

Once I crossed the finish line I was instantly impressed with the organization. Like the 15K/5K split earlier the finish was divided because the 15K runners were receiving medals and the 5K runners did not. I quickly received my medal and then found the water/sports drinks immediately. The volunteers working the hydration station were extremely generous and handed me two water bottles even though I asked for one. I also quickly found the medical tent, with a very short line, and debated about getting ice but decided against it. 

After the finish I followed the crowd to the finish line party. Holy moley was the race party crowded. It was literally a mob of people, but also surprisingly organized. There were alphabetical signs around the party for people to meet up with their parties. After my mom texted me saying that she was at the party we quickly found each other. Once we found each other we wandered through the merchandise tent, and got our hot chocolate and fondue. The hot chocolate was the perfect temperature for me and the fondue was a fun reward for finishing the race. 

Overall, I loved the Hot Chocolate 15k and would run it again with no hesitation. My only complaint is that I am moving to Orlando and am going to have to drive up to Atlanta to run the race next year. I'm hoping that because Orlando is listed as a "notify me" on the Hot Chocolate website the race will one day come to my home! If it does then I can guarantee that I will be running it!

Pros: Great swag, super organized, fun post race party, awesome medal, great atmosphere.

Cons: Waking up a dark o'thirty, there isn't an Orlando race yet. 

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As a quick side note, I wore my new Sparkly Soul "Run Chicago" headband during this race and kept feeling it to make sure that I still had it. That headband did not move at all during the race, or after the race while I was at lunch. It gripped my hair perfectly, but did not leave a dent or snag my hair at all. Plus, I love that I now have a headband to honor my hometown! Sparkly Soul is definitely going to be my headband of choice during my next races. 

A Fun Run and A New 5K PR

I'd apologize for the delayed update, but I'm sure this isn't a surprise for anyone.
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On October 18, 2015 I ran the Care 4 Breast Cancer 5k in Woodstock, IL. This was my second 5k of the year and my second race with the Running Depot team. I had participated in the 5k training program that was hosted by Running Depot and felt extremely prepared for this race.

The race was held at the "new" Woodstock North High School (in a small town, with very little happening, things stay new for a loooooooong time) and started at 8:30am, but I got there at 7:00 to ensure that I could park in the high schools lot. Several of my friends arrived closer to 8:30 and were forced to park at the Municipal Building down the street. The race was kind enough to provide shuttles between the Municipal Building and North.

The race expo was held inside the gyms at the high school and had enough offerings to keep me entertained until the race start. There were bagels from Panera, donuts from Country Donuts, and coffee from Starbucks for the participants. There were also several different vendors who were handing out free samples such as chapstick, sunscreen and fun bags. The chapstick was greatly appreciated because of the weather.

That morning when I woke up it was in the 40s so I made sure to wear a thermal top under my racing tank, and my winter running tights. I also brought gloves, a headband, and neck warmer, while these items were nice to have before the race, I wish I hadn't worn them during the race.

With the race set to start at 8:30, my group and I headed over to the start at 8:20. The start was set up with various pace signs to help people line up from fastest to walkers. Unfortunately, most of the individuals at the race did not listen to the pace signs and just charged to get close to the start. This caused a lot of strollers and walkers to be ahead of my group, even though we stopped by the 8 minute/mile sign (we couldn't get further than that due to the wall of people).

The race started promptly at 8:30 and it took my group 2 minutes to cross the starting line. Once we had crossed this line it was fairly easy to weave around the slower individuals and get to a pack of people around my pace. One thing I will note is that people tended to not listen when you announced "on your left", there were several moments when I had to change directions because the person I was trying to pass would jump right where I was going.

The first mile is slightly hilly, but manageable. It is directly down the main road and is lined with balloons, and volunteers cheering. I felt like this mile went extremely fast and was well marked out, I completed it in 9 minutes according to my FitBit data.

The second mile was a bit slower for me but was pretty consistent, with a pace of 9'10". This mile goes through a local neighborhood which is always nice. There were several residents out who were cheering for the runners or just having a good time. It was around this mile that the pack I had been running it started to separate, it provided a nice opportunity for me to try and keep up with the faster runners of the group and really push myself.

The third mile slowed down for me considerably. The first portion of the mile was in the neighborhood, which was fast, but the last portion followed the first mile with all the hills. These hills weren't too severe but because I slacked on my hill training they felt like mountains. It was during this mile that I had a back and forth going with a parent running with a stroller. This "competition" helped me keep going at a steady pace because I kept telling myself that if they can push that stroller and keep a consistent pace then I can run, by myself, at a consistent pace.

The last 0.1 mile was on the driveway to North. This mile was fairly irritating because there were radio hosts from a local radio station "cheering" on the runners. I can't stand listening to radio DJs in the morning and these two individuals happen to be on during my morning commute. Once I finished the race I was pleased to see that I had improved my 5K PR by 6 minutes, bringing it down from 34 minutes to 28!



While I did PR at this race I don't believe that it is one that I would do again.

Pros: Nice expo, fast course.

Cons: Disorganized start, way too many walkers causing a bottleneck, awful parking, and the darn DJs.

New Year, New Experiences

This may be a day late (or 17, whoops), but I figure it's better late than never! Plus, as you'll see further down, I had to wait to make any type of formal announcement about my new year.

So, without any further delay, here are 5 things you can expect to see from me in this coming year.

1) More races.

Picture Source: Fort2Base

This coming year I have several races planned, with the goal of running one race every month (excluding January). My main goal is to run a strong 5k and keep my time below 30 minutes, currently I'm averaging around 28 minutes. I would also like to run a few more half marathons and possibly a race on the beach. I have updated my race schedule tab with the upcoming races and my updated PRs.

2) Dressage lessons.

Picture Source: wikipedia.com

One of the main items on my must have list for the new barn is access to dressage lessons. I feel like my flatwork needs a lot of help and I'm hoping that by taking dressage lessons I will be able to build a stronger foundation. I might keep up my Hunter/Jumper lessons but right now that will not be my main focus. Ideally I will be able to try a dressage show or two, even if it is just a walk/trot test.

3) Actually finishing and reviewing books.

Picture Source: huffingtonpost.com

This past year I have read and finished several books but I never finished any written reviews on them. I entered the 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge with the goal of 100 books, currently I have started 4 different books and finished 0. I'm already off to a great start.

4) More adventures.

Photo Source: tumblr.com

Because I'll be more independent and more accessible to my friends I fully intend on forcing them on adventures. Several items I have planned are exploring the new area, attending an away football game for my Alma mater, and learning how to live on my own.

Which leads me to the most interesting part of my year........

5) Successfully move to Florida.

Picture Source: http://visitaorlandoflorida.info/

In a few weeks I'll be leaving my small town, in Northern Illinois, and moving back down south to the Orlando, FL area. This move marks the first time I won't have roommates, the first time I will be 100% financially responsible for myself, and the first time I have ever had to make all the decisions about my living arrangement. I am extremely excited because I'll be moving back with all my friends and I won't have to endure any more Midwestern winters!

This move involves a new job at a new company, which involved a huge milestone in my life. Interviewing for a job, while being employed by another company, then having to resign from my current company. If that doesn't sound extremely stressful then take my word for it, it was a headache and a half.

In the coming weeks, while I pack and prepare, I fully intend on keeping everyone updated about the move and the various components that make up the experience.

Wish me luck!

My First Half Marathon and A Great Learning Experience

I did it! I successfully completed my first half marathon and didn't die! The race was the Crystal Lake Memorial Half Marathon in Crystal Lake, IL. Along the way I learned several important things about myself and my race strategy. 

Perhaps the most important thing I learned is that you should always, always think ahead and prepare for your race conditions. The night before this race I found myself at Kohls trying to find a pair of running capris. The weather had been amazing all throughout this training cycle so I had never thought to actually go out and purchase anything longer, or warmer than shorts. It was supposed to be a nice 40 degree morning so I would have been pretty screwed if I hadn't looked at the forecast. Luckily Kohls came to my rescue and I walked away with several different capris and pants.

The morning of the race I got up about 30 minutes before I had to leave a rolled into my clothes. I spent around 20 minutes glaring at my cat because she gets to sleep in while I had to go run in the cold. 

Sometimes I can't help but be jealous of her life. 

I got to Lippold Park about 90 minutes before the walkers were scheduled to start, and sat in my car for 20 minutes so I could finish my tea and eat breakfast. Once, I saw some other people from Running Depot I left the warmth of my car and joined them. We got a really cute group photo before the race of all of us in our Running Depot singlets/t-shirts. 

Photo Credit: Running Depot

I had signed up with the runners so we started approximately 30 minutes after the walkers had started. While I had expected that this could create a bottleneck along the course it actually worked out really well. The walkers had enough time to get out of the narrow sections at the beginning and by the time we reached the narrow sections at the end they had spread out pretty well. 

The race started on time and for the first 3-4 miles I went out way too fast. Originally I was going to run with two individuals who had trained with me around my pace, but somehow I ended up running with the fastest couple in the training group. While this was a great confidence boost it really worked against me in the last half of the race. 

Between miles 4-9 I dropped from a fast run to a run/walk with 6/1 intervals. This section of the race had a few hills and one long stretch that was extremely sunny. The sunny section was along Haligus Road which was not closed to drivers. This created not only a warmer run than I had expected but also forced runners to be more aware of their surroundings and their race strategy. The runners were directed to run with traffic as opposed to into traffic, which goes against all my training runs. I was nervous to pass a few runners because the shoulder of the road was narrow and I did not want to risk having a driver come up behind me. 

The race doubles around in a neighbor hood and we ran back along Haligus and the earlier section of the race. It then shifted into a neighborhood that was flat and allowed me to stretch out and relax my stride. Running on Haligas had caused me to tense up and that tenseness had caused my lower back to hurt. While in the neighborhood I ran with some of the other Running Depot girls who had started with the walkers. Once I felt stretched out and more relaxed I opted to go ahead of them and continue the race at a fairly quick pace. 

From the neighborhood the race went back onto the trails at Lippold Park, I believe these trails are for the disk golf course. The trail was nice and flat, and also had a nice crowd along it. These people along with the runners who were cooling down by running back along the path really helped me finish strong. Every year one of the runners participants in the race while wearing a full fireman's suit. This gentleman finished before me and was running back along the path, in what I believe was his cool down. Just before he passed me I congratulated him and he responded with "you're doing great!" To me this was just a special moment that really made me glad I had participated in this race. If this man can run a race in an extremely heavy outfit and finish strong enough to run back along the path then I could finish with a smile on my face.

The last mile was perhaps the worst. There were so many people along the course and each one felt the need to tell me that I was almost there. After the first five times of hearing it I wanted to cry. I could hear the finish line party, but it still felt so darn long. It wasn't until I saw my coach screaming that I was done that I felt like I could finally breathe. Getting that medal felt like winning a million bucks. I had done it, I had finally finished my first half marathon. 

Also getting that bottle of water at the end was amazing. I could actually relax and drink it and not slosh half the bottle down my front. I have yet to master the running and drinking thing. 

I stayed at the end of the race to cheer everyone from my team in. It really was great to see everyone finish and finish strong. After spending 12 weeks with these people I was honestly more excited to see them finish that I was to see myself finish. We had all been in this together and we had all finished!

I learned a lot during this race, such as making sure to not let my thoughts get the best of me and to always know the weather a few days before the race. The most important less I learned was to not try and keep up with people who you know are much faster than you. I burned out towards the end of the race and really had to fight to keep going. I don't think this negatively effected my overall race but it did make the end quite difficult. 

Results from my age group. 7th isn't too shabby!

Pros: Good course, well marked, nice medal, easy packet pickup.

Cons: They ran out of water at the end, the post race food was left out for the bugs, 

Haligus road. 

11.5 Miles, 1 rain storm, and an awesome medal!

I'm an awful person who completely forgets to post race recaps until months later. So enjoy my Fort2Base recap that's extremely delayed.

10 Nautical miles later and I can officially say I've been at Fort Sheridan and the Great Lakes Naval Base! On August 23rd, 2015 I ran the Fort2Base race, a 10 nautical mile (11.5 mile) race that starts at Fort Sheridan and ends at the Great Lakes Naval Base.

I got to the Rosalind Franklin University parking lot at around 5:30 am. Traffic was fairly steady but it moved and I was parked within a few minutes. I elected to sit in my car for a bit and debate about if I would need to bring a light jacket because of the rain that was expected. At around 6:00 am, I walked over and go on the bus to Fort Sheridan. The buses were well organized and the volunteers working the event were good about making sure that 10 NM participants got on the correct bus (the 5 NM participants were going to Great Lakes Naval Base instead).

Once at Fort Sheridan I hung around and warmed up. The atmosphere was fairly sedate but everyone was friendly and welcoming. Bag check was simple, and though the lines for the port-o-potties was long I felt like there were enough for an event of this size.

The race itself started on time and started in a slightly different path than what the original map had said. This added a bit of distance to the race that I did not expect and it ended up messing with my mental game.

At the start of the race you run through a neighborhood that had plenty of residents out cheering on the runners. I thought it was a nice place to start because it had space for everyone to spread out and find their pace, but it was marked well enough that there were no worries of getting lost.

Once we exited the neighborhood the race immediately entered the North Shore Bike Path. Miles 2 through just below 9 are on the Bike Path which allows runners to not worry about traffic or getting lost. There is only one spot that felt like you could potentially take a wrong turn at but there were enough people and markings to make sure that you stayed on course.

Once you hit mile 9 you are at the Great Lakes Naval Base. This was the worst part of the race for me. Somehow I had it in my head that I was about a mile further than I was actually at so I began to pick up my pace to try and really come in strong, I believed that I would be able to do under 2 hours. Once you're on the base you still have just under 3 miles until the finish. This might not seem like a lot but this is the section of the race where you hit a steep downhill (which was awesome for picking up speed and has a beautiful view of Lake Michigan), and what feels like, an event steeper uphill climb.

The downhill really helped my race, I focused on the view and just let my legs go into a "free run" pattern. It wasn't until someone commented that "what goes down must come up" that I realized the pretty view was probably not worth having that boost from the downhill.

The middle section between the downhill and "Heroes Hill" is nice and flat with a water stop that was well stocked and at the perfect location to rehydrate and take a bit of gel before the awful uphill climb.

When I reached Heroes Hill almost everyone was walking up it. To help encourage people the cadets (?) were there to run up the hill with you and "encourage" you. I ran up the whole darn hill thanks to one of the cadets who ran down to me and "encouraged" me by yelling that if he could do this all morning, then I could do it one time. I just had to thank him at the end, it was so tempting to walk up that hill but knowing that the service men probably run that hill on a regular basis was great encouragement to keep going.

At the top of the hill there is a photographer who tries to get pictures of everyone coming up the hill. Unfortunately I was not able to find a picture of myself from that moment.

Picture Credit: Gamefacemedia.com

Once you complete the hill there is still around a mile left of the race. This mile is flat and has a few water stops. Because I got confused about the distance I skipped a few of these which was a huge mistake. Towards the finish line I could feel a huge migraine starting and wasn't able to shake it for around an hour after the race.

Picture credit: Gamefacemedia.com

When you cross the finish line you are instantly handed your medal by one of the service men, and given a bottle of water, a towel, and a bottle of flavored water. There are several kiddie pools set up for runners to rinse off or cool down and there is an extremely impressive spread of food for the runners (chips, cookies, granola bars, cracker jacks....). My dad who had run the 5 NM told me that the organizers were not stopping the runners from coming back for seconds.

After the race I walked around for a bit and visited the various booths. Because it had rained earlier several booths had either not shown up or had taken their tables down.

What I loved about this race was that I could get my medal engraved for a small fee! I waited in line for about 30 minutes (and one lovely burst of rain) and it was worth every penny.

Pros: Great course, great atmosphere, plenty of water stops, option for medal engraving, awesome medal and t shirt.

Cons: It rained, the race photographers seemed to miss a lot of people, the distance was longer than advertised. I had about 12 miles and others were saying they recorded everything from 11.75 to 12.25.

Overall, I had a lot of fun at this race. I would love to run it again next year. Now that I know the distance is off from what is advertised I shouldn't get so upset with my progress and will be able to have a better plan.

Screenshot of my results from Fort2Base.com

Name Change and Some Exciting News

So, if you've somehow been following me for a bit you might have noticed I changed from Sunshine's Wonderland to Run. Ride. Read. Repeat.

When a friend went searching for this blog she stumbled across a different one under the name Sunshine's Wonderland. So, I elected to change from my Disney CP blog name to something that focuses more on what I currently do with my life. I run, ride horses, and read (a bit too much).

In terms of my life, I'm only seven days out from the Fort2Base run. This race seems like it will be a great predictor race for the Crystal Lake Half Marathon in a few weeks. I'm aiming for under 3 hours for the half, which will hopefully get me a good placement in the Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge.

Yes, I signed up for the Glass Slipper Challenge. Well, my mom signed me up. Thanks mom!

When I lived in FL I always wanted to run one of the RunDisney races, and now that my life (and finances) are more stable I think this is the perfect "starter" race! Being a student and an intern the past few years really stopped me from taking several opportunities. Now that I'm done with that period in my life I can't wait to seize the day!

Along with the Princess I have also signed up for the Pixie Dust Challenge during Disney's Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend! This will not only allow me to see Disneyland for the first time, but I will also earn my Coast-To-Coast medal! In pink!!! Pink always makes everything better!

While there are no longer spots in any of the Princess Weekend events through RunDisney, there may still be some through charity spots or travel agents, You can find those participants here!

Tinker Bell, on the other hand (at the time of this posting), still has spots through RunDisney for the Pixie Dust Challenge and the Half Marathon.  The link should take you directly to the Active registration site. If you wish to register for the 10K or 5K, you may be able to do so through charity spots or travel agents.

I promise I'll start posting more pictures and fun things on these posts. I need to figure out a better system with my camera first.

In the meantime, have a picture of my little stumpy man! He just turned 8 and still loves to bother his pack brother and sister! Although, the cat still manages to push him around.

So, let me know! Who else is running in Princess or Tinker Bell? Which races are you doing? If you're not doing any of the Disney races, what do you have on your upcoming race schedule?

Door County Hairpin Run 2015

Obviously I fail and life and keeping this blog updated. Life seemed to get in the way, what with work, running, riding, and just general things that take time. While I managed to write posts and save them in drafts, I never took the time to actually publish them. I apologize in advance for throwing all these saved posts out this weekend.
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On July 4, 2015 I participated in Door County's Hairpin Run. The Hairpin is an annual 5K that occurs on the 4th every year. This is the second time I've participated, and the first time that I participated as a "runner".

When you register for this run there are two different entry options. The first is as a "walker" which means you are not chip timed, the second is as a "runner" which means you are chip timed and you will be able to see your finish line video. My first year I participated as a "walker" because I signed up the day before, and the race is "capped" at 1100 runners. Be prepared that this is an extremely popular race.

Because I did compete as a runner this year I was able to receive an accurate time of 32:16. Not necessarily a time I'm happy with for a 5K, but for this specific race I'll happily take it.

Picture Credit: hairpinrun.com

The Hairpin starts in the main intersection in Fish Creek, WI (If you've been there before, it's the intersection with the awkward 3-way stop by Hideside.) on Highway 42. The road is not blocked off until just before the race starts, which does get a bit scary when runners decide to ignore traffic and line up in the road early. Once the road is officially closed the runners pile into the street and line up for the start. This race does not utilize any type of corral system, and pretty much assumes that runners and walkers will know where they belong.

Despite this race occurring on July 4th, there is no National Anthem sung or any acknowledgment that it's a national holiday. Once the road is officially cleared and the runners are lined up, the race is started. This year someone (race organizers?) flew a drone over the starting line and I believe it was used to track the first runner.

Once the gun goes off you are instantly treated to a HUGE hill. I hate this hill, The hill takes roughly half a mile to defeat and I added on a few more tenths of a mile darting around walkers or slower runners. I don't think I would hate this hill as much if it weren't for having to focus on getting around everyone.

Once the hill is completed you turn into a little neighborhood type area. Now the neighborhood is where the race really becomes fun. All along the course there are people cheering and just creating a festive atmosphere. This year, one family went above and beyond and set up their own water stop around the 1.5 mile mark (according to my GPS). Because I didn't realize they weren't part of the race I didn't give them more than my customary thank you. So, random family who is super awesome, thank you for going out of our way to help the runners. It's people like you who make this race fun!

Back to the course. This course goes uphill for about the first half, with that first hill being the worst. Then it goes downhill for the second half. It gets the name Hairpin from a hairpin turn while going downhill. This turn is a great marker for me because it signals that I'm almost done with the race. But it's also a marker you have to be careful with. Because it's a sharper turn and it's downhill, I did see two people slip and almost fall. Please be careful with the turn, take it wide if needed or slow down!

Once you finish the race they have a timing area set up for you to view your time and a refreshment area with water, Gatorade, cookies, and bananas. At the end of the refreshment area there are coolers, so you can keep refilling your original cup and not have to get in line again.

Overall, this is an enjoyable family race that I would recommend for anyone up in Door County over the 4th of July.

It should be noted that while the highway is closed for the race, the other roads are not. This year I had to turn around and wait for my mom and brother to finish the race. While waiting a car drove through the finish line. According to other runners this lady pulled out of her driveway and started driving on the race course! She was going fairly fast when she crossed the finish line and left a good number of angry participants in her wake. Several parents were angry because they were letting their children walk the course and run up ahead. Those poor kids (or runners with headphones!) could have gotten hurt! My mom attempted to speak to race organizers about why a car ended up on the course, and she got blown off. Similarly, a runner walked up to a paramedic to ask where the police were and he got blow off. Despite the race being a "safe, closed" course I would not plan on it staying clear. The organizers and police patrolling the course did a poor job handling the situation and should have made it clear that cars can, and will enter the course.