Ok, ok, I know, I didn’t do a Pre Race Review…but, SURPRISE!!! I can now cross Kansas off my list!!!

The Trip:

It was sort of a last minute decision. I have my calendar on my computer with a BUNCH of different races I could do or want to do…. a couple weeks ago, I saw I had added this one and finally decided: Ok, I’ll make the drive to Kansas. It was an 8ish hour drive to Wichita, one that I was not able to make all at once.

I got off work at 2:30 Saturday afternoon and had originally planned on leaving no later than 3. However, when my “driving buddy” backed out on me, I knew I had to plan a little better. Reason being, if I didn’t make it all the way to my friend’s house that night, I would need a shower pre-drive so that I wouldn’t be SUPER gross on the way home. I also had to account for more coffee in my diet since I had no one to talk to/keep me awake plus a few other logistical things that took me a bit to figure out. I ended up leaving Colorado at 4pm. Not taking into account the time change, I had to text my friend that so graciously offered me to stay at her place, “thanks for the offer to crash, but I will not make it there at any reasonable hour.”

I originally had planned to stay with a girl I met at the Wild West Relay who lives about an hour from the race. Free place to stay? Done! And the hour drive in the morning would have been a good chance to wake up prior to running. Well, besides the fact that I wouldn’t have made it at a reasonable hour to accept her offer, driving safely was becoming a problem as the hours wore on.

As soon at I got off I-70 to head south through Salina, I was not driving safely at all! I was only about an hour and half form Wichita (where the race was) and I would have just stayed at a cheap hotel close to the race site, but smartly, I pulled over into a rest stop and slept. Knowing I would have to complete the drive in the morning, I set my alarm, pulled my car blanket over me, and shut my eyes.

My alarm went off before the sun even rose and all I had to do was put my seat in the upright position and start the car. Luckily for me, I’m really good at changing and eating in the car all while following directions on my phone (this might also be signs I’m a bad driver…but you do whatcha gotta do when you’re driving by yourself). I made it to the race head with 30 minutes to spare; enough time to pick up my race packet, go to the bathroom and stretch.

The Run:

FANTASTIC run!!! I had a great run! I completed the 15K (9.3 miles) in 1:22:29.9, I’m not setting any records here, but I felt accomplished with this time, especially because I was just using it as a training run. I started off the run slowly because I didn’t get a chance to warm up very well, using the first mile or so to loosen up. At mile 3, I was slowly passed by two men with a garmin that was making all sorts of noise.

They first commented on the runners going the other way (by then the first men and women had already hit the turn around and were crossing paths with us). One man made a joke about how they weren’t having any fun running that fast. I chimed in and said, “yeah, it’s us over here having all the fun” and then throwing in…”were not competing, were training.” Since they laughed at my comment, I started to keep pace with them. The chime on his Garmin was signaling that we were under an 8:30 pace! This really excited me, so I decided to stick with them for as long as I could stand it. We chatted about their lives and what they did for a living and I told them I was from Colorado and about my running goals.

I stuck with them until about mile 7, but kept them in site for the remaining of the run as motivation. I finished strong, although I did feel a little alone because no one was there at the finish line for me or running with me…I think this might have been the first race I’ve done without any company.

The Event:

Also FANTASTIC! Well put together. The money went to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park…so of course, I was well on board with this race from the beginning!

Super organized from start to finish. The course was well marked. There was enough water stations and people to direct you where every you needed to go. At the end there was booth that you could give them your bib number and they instantly printed your time along with finishing position and pace. Super awesome! The volunteers were awesome, I spent some time chatting with one of them; and the place was easy to find with plenty of parking. Well accommodating for the 700+ participants (there was a 5K as well).

I wandered around the park to “cool down” instead of immediately getting in my car and sitting for 8 hours. It was a small wildlife park, but really interactive. They monkey habits were on islands surrounded by water, but no fences between any of it. You could walk right up and touch the giraffes, tortoises, and kangaroos (which are super soft btw). There was also apparently a place where you could get your picture with some lemurs as well, but either I did not find it (cause you know I would have been all over that) or they didn’t have it set up because of the event. The rest of the exhibits were wonderful as well and the animals all looked very happy.

By the time I was done meandering, they were giving out the place awards as well as doing the raffle. I did not place (obviously or this would be a very different post) nor did I win any prize (which they gave out for last/first to register, last to finish, most pained expression at the finish line, etc) but they did have a sock throw at the end….and believe me they were clean socks…or you would have seen me sprinting as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I managed to catch a pair of the clean socks that had the Tiger Trot logo printed on them.

I’ve gotten shirts, headbands, medals and water bottles from races, but never a pair of socks. Do I wear them or display with my other race goodies??? Would that be awkward to have socks displayed or a dinner conversation starter (keeping in mind, I HATE feet – and that’s an understatement)???