Vilage to Vilage 10k

Last weekend I ran in the Vilage to Vilage 10k race (6.2 miles).  Ive ran quite a few races now since I started on this running adventure, and I can say with certaintly that this one was my least favorite. Not because it was cold or because I had 4 hours of Blue Moon induced sleep the night before, but because it was just boring and pricey. Most of these races range in costs from like $15-$25. This one was $30, and if you registered late (like i did), you had to go over to the zoo, and then walk back to the start line by the botanical gardens. There werent enough people manning the registration table, and when I finally got my registration bag, it contained A waterbottle. Lame. They said my t-shirt would be mailed (not here yet). This race was sponsered by the Mtn Brook Chamber of Commerce, you would think, considering it's Mtn Brook, that it would have been a nice race. wrong. Then there was the actual course. You start in front of mtn brook vilage and run up the hill by the gardens and the apartments. That is a very steep hill people. So, the first mile of the race is ALL uphill. I cant think of a worse start for a course. The rest of the race was pretty calm with the main scenery being jumbo houses which really just made me feel inadequate.

Then there was the finish. Usually decent races (that cost over $20) have chips for all the runners to insert onto our shoes. This allows for the race coordinators to record an almost exact time for you since most of the time you dont actually cross the start line under a minute or more after the race starts, if it is a large race.  As you can see from the finish line (6 minutes before I finished), it was a zoo.  Those people in the back are stopped and havnt even crossed the finish line yet. Hence, when the official times were posted, they were over a minute off.

I did finish though, in around 1hr and 7mins. Thanks John for getting this lovely action shot. I was in pain, and just wanted water. However, once i did get to the finish line, they were out of it (and I was not the last to finish). I was told to go to the Western. That is exactly what I want to go when I have just run 6 plus miles, walk another 3 blocks to a grocery store to buy a bottle water. Lame. We did each get a rose from Norton Florists for finishing. This unforuntately, did not help rehydrate me.

The group. Done with the run, and wont be returning.