Covington YMCA Cheerios 10K (Race Recap)

 

Covington, GA
Saturday, November 6, 2021
Race/Event #95
10K #8
Weather - Low 40s, still dark at 7:15 AM start

I thought my next race was going to be a trail race through a vineyard in North Georgia. However, as soon as I saw this, I wanted to do this race. 

"Running in the Covington Y Cheerios Challenge helps ensure that every child can participate in Y programs like youth sports, swim lessons, and summer day camp. Your race registration fee supports the YMCA's WHY IT MATTERS Annual Campaign." 

With so many races available, I don't think I would have signed up for any old race 50 miles away. This was a good cause though.

The race was both a 10K and 5K. What was different, the 10K started at 7:15, the 5K at 8:30. 70 people did the 10K so there was no problem getting a parking place or using the bathroom. The 5K had 250-300 people, most of them were not there when the 10K started. It was low-key and I like that. 

The race course took an interesting route through a town that many people have seen on TV. The show "In the Heat of the Night" was filmed there from 1989-1995. It is a very nice little town. The course was well marked - no chance of getting lost or off course. 

Ended up with a time of 1:17:09, a 12:25/mile pace. 2nd place in the male 65-69 category. It was a good race, glad I signed up for it.

Boulder Dash 10K (Race Recap)

Cumming, GA
Saturday, October 16, 2021
Race/Event #94
10K #7
Weather - cloudy, drizzle at times, upper 60s, 90% humidity

How often do people get to go into an active rock quarry? It was the main reason for signing up for this race. It was a fun race! We spent about two miles in the quarry area. Apparently they only open it up to the public once a year - for this race. The sights were very different compared to most of the races I get to do. 

DANGER - Open Pit Area

We never really got close to the open pit area. They had those areas blocked off with heavy equipment and plenty of quarry employees watching us. They made sure we didn't deviate off the road areas. 

Just over 500 people signed up for the race. About 400 for the 5K and 100 or so for the 10K. We were together through the quarry. After the we split ways. The rest of the 10K was a series of hills. The only good part about hills is when you get to come down them. 

Finished with a time of 1:20:41, 12:59 per mile average. And, just like the Alien Half Marathon, once again was the only one in the male 65-69 category which put me in 1st place.

Next up, a trail race in a vineyard. That should also be another interesting venue.

Race 14 Chattahoochee Challenge 10K

It has been a while since my last road 10K, 10 years to be exact and that was way before I switched from running to walking.  I do not think that I am anti-10K, I just need a reason to do one.  Once I found out that the proceeds from the Chattahoochee Challenge 10K benefited the Chattahoochee Nature Center, I had my reason. 

The race was in Roswell, GA, two towns over, and it started at 8:00 AM.  As usual, I got there early and scoped things out.   They had a nice heated gym at the Nature Center and that meant nice heated bathrooms!  The first thing I noticed outside, they even had portalets (unlike the Callaway Gardens Half Marathon I just did two weeks earlier – funny how even a low key $27 entrance fee race can afford portalets).

I was able to walk around the Nature Center a bit. I saw two bald eagles!   Wow, this is a great place, must make plans to come back and spend some time here exploring, hiking, and take some of the classes on bird identification (I have multiple bird feeders in the back yard and really enjoy those birds – just wish I knew more about each species).

The temperature and wind where going to be a factor in this race as an artic front was making its way into Georgia.  However, the weather seemed okay just prior to the race.  There was virtually no wind blowing and the sun was peeking through the clouds, it was actually quite nice.  Since I’d only be out there for a bit more than an hour, I decided to shed my top layer.

An odd thing about this race that I really liked, we had to walk about ¾ of mile to get to the start.  This solves a huge problem that I think exists with a lot of races – most folks are not warmed up and loose for that start and they end up just starting the race that way.  Not this race – it was an excellent warm up just prior to the race!

Just prior to the start

We were very close to Chattahoochee River for the entire course – the road pretty much followed it.  One of the things I saw during this race that just made me feel good, I saw a policeman blocking, not allowing a car to get out of a subdivision onto the road we were on.  As I passed by, I noticed the driver of the car, out of his car, on his cell phone complaining to someone how he could not get out of his subdivision (right now).  Mr. Policeman and the Roswell, GA Police Department – Thank You!!!

Remember earlier when I told you I shed that top layer?  Well that was a wrong move : )  That artic blast started making its way in, quickly.  Before the race was over, we had a little rain, some sleet, a few snow flurries, and some gusting wind!  The wind was blowing so hard, there were white caps on the river! 

One other thing that I noticed while getting along on the course, they have rowing clubs here (I did not know that).  I will need to find out when they have regattas and come over and watch.

http://rowsteadystate.com/

All in all this was a good race, it supported the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and it was a pretty good workout.

Garmin Stats:

Time: 1:16

Average Heart Rate: 133, 81% of max for one hour and 16 minutes

Calories Spent:  655

Average Speed:  4.9 mph;  Pace: 12:15

Distance:  6.2 miles

Steps:  24,620