Racing Plans

Racing is something that I really like doing.  It gets your out running in places you wouldn't normally be able to set foot.  Like the time I ran down Broadway during the Race for the Cure.  All cities seem to have a Broadway.  What does yours look like?  Would you want to run in the middle of it?  I didn't think so.  For those of us early bird runners who never see anyone but the newspaper delivery guy while out, it also reminds us that there is a whole running community out there.  And forces us to wear matching clothes and comb our hair.  I often wonder what would happen if I had a problem while out... would anyone believe I needed help or would I look like the crazy homeless woman that stole clothes from an athletic store?

As most people probably understand, I have limited time and money, therefore, I don't get to race as often as I would like.  (If you don't, will you please email me so we can talk?!)  My two guaranteed races per year are the Saguaro National Park run on Labor Day and the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot.  If you notice, they are both on holidays, which are a day when I don't have to drive any kids around or show up at work.  A non mom type of person might not care about either of those things, but I've decided that it's in my genetic makeup to worry about  kid stuff.  And going to work goes back to that having money to enter races once in a while thing.  I might as well roll with it and enjoy it and fit some races in around it!  Which brings me to the dollars one spends on races.  I realize that most races are to benefit some cause.  And for the most part, they all seem to be worthy causes... from cancer to animal rescue and everything in between you can find a race to run that will benefit from it.  And it's all good, it really is.... unfortunately, my pocketbook doesn't think so.  Ballet lessons and soccer cleats are what I spend most of any "extra" money that comes into our household.  This forces me to pick and choose the races I run even more.  Or save all year for the ones I do. 

Enter the email that landed in my inbox this week.  There is to be a Triple Crown race series here... starting with a June 5K (at night so we don't melt into the pavement), the Saguaro National Park Run on Labor Day, and a brand new half marathon in October... all for $55 through  today.  As a frugal runner, my attention was captured!  After today it's $75.  And it really is a deal... most half marathons *start* at that price... and don't include 2 other races!  OK.  I was hooked.  I mailed my registration in yesterday.  I'm committed!

Even better, my birthday is a week from tomorrow.  There is to be a low cost race on my birthday morning.  I guess the reason it is low cost is that you get to paw through all the old, leftover race shirts from any other race this organization has put on as your race shirt. The thought both thrills and scares me!  Either I will end up with a shirt that is four sizes too big from a really cool race... or I'll end up with a shirt in the perfect size from a race I have already run... thus already owning the shirt.  My cute husband and son both have agreed to come and run the race with me.  I can't wait!  I'm a little worried about my 5K time, but I am out giving it my all to train right now.... we'll just say my time hopefully will be better by the time the June 5K race rolls around.  I think this will be a fun birthday present!  A birthday *event* rather than a present is best!