It kills me to write this race recap. I love races and I am always so thankful to the organizers and volunteers, so it I hate the idea of writing anything other than a glowing review. But, I've promised to always be honest with you, so here goes...
First of all, it wasn't really a race. The Houston Run 10 Feed 10 event was a fun run. I knew this going in. I knew there would be no timing chips and no awards. I was fully prepared for the fact that it would not be a "race." But, I guess I thought there would still be some typical race days aspects present. Maybe a start line or some balloons or music or the national anthem...I don't know, something....anything! I was definitely wrong. There was nothing, apart from a sign-in table with a banner over it and a race-day bag, to distinguish this run from any other Saturday run.
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| How does he get to be so cute that early on a Saturday and I.....well.... |
The race was scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m., and The Hubs and I got to the start (a running store parking lot) at about 7:40. I kept waiting for everyone to show up, but quickly realized the group was going to be very small (50, maybe). As we signed in we were told that the race route had changed because the park wasn't going to allow the event (is it me or is this something that should be cleared well in advance??). The fact that the route had changed in and of itself really wasn't that big of a deal. I rarely study race routes and I certainly hadn't done much more than glace at the route as it was posted on the Run 10 Feed 10 website. The problem was that the run felt half-assed and so poorly planned. We ended up running on sidewalks and across very busy streets with zero traffic assistance. At one point, I found myself stopped and waiting at a stoplight for several minutes. Which, is why I say this fun run was no different from any other weekend run. The two most disappointing parts of the run were: 1) no water stations, which I found kind of shocking for a 10k (luckily, there was one working water fountain on the route), and 2) zero route direction. I had my Garmin on, so I could run exactly to 3.1 miles and turn around. I can't say the same for most of the people on the run. They were turning around in all kinds of different spots, just guessing at 3.1 miles. I understand that there was a last minute route change, but I was shocked that the organizers didn't at least have someone standing at the 3.1 mark to tell people turn around. Like I said, just another run.
Maybe the problem was just that I had my expectations way too high. This run had so much national attention and publicity (it was even on the morning shows!), that I was super excited about it and really had my hopes up for a big event. Maybe if I had known what to expect, I wouldn't have wanted anything more. They say, "Disappointment comes easily to those who expect too much."
Okay, time to look on the bright side. Finishing 6.2 miles on a Saturday morning is always a good thing. This was Paul's first 10k and, of course, he killed it. He was the third person to finish and it seemed like he made some runner friends on the way. That, I would say, was the biggest highlight of the event - the other runners. Everyone was so sweet and friendly. Have I ever mentioned before that I love other runners? Well, I love other runners. Also, the run swag was pretty good. The Run 10 Feed 10 bag we all got after the run is very nice.
The best thing about the Fun 10 Feed 10 run was that it supported a great cause. With just our registrations alone, Paul and I provided 20 meals to those going hungry in our area. That's huge! Sometimes you aren't sure how much of a difference your race registrations actually make, but with Run 10 Feed 10, it's very clear. For every runner who signs up to run a 10k, 10 meals are provided to those who need it. However disappointed I might have been in the organization, I could not be more proud to have been a part of such a good cause. Check it out! http://run10feed10.com/home/#!/about
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