Kathleen Neitert Race for Hope 7.5 miles

This race is only 20 mins from my house so I always seem to take my time to get there and for some reason it really messes with my normally planned routine. I didn’t pre register this time since I know I have enough time to get there and this being a small race I know it wasn’t going to be an issue, also there was also the not knowing of what was going to happen with Burning River 100 since I was working an aid station.

I got to the race site with 10 mins to spare, register and put my stuff back in my car, the main bathroom was locked but they had a porta potty which I decided not to use since I could smell it without being close to it.

The race started promptly or maybe a few minutes off while they wait for the rest of the restroom people and they change the start location so both the 5k and 7.5 races can finish in the same location. I wish they change the order of the race and have us do the loop around the lake first just to get it over with, it is so hard to run that loop after all the hill rollers and also you are passing people that are already finished and eating apples while you still have over a mile to go.

Once the race start, I caught up with Niall (60 year old male runner) and we ran together for the first 4 miles, the plan for this is to go all out and also not die at mile 3-5 where most of the big rollers are, also inch closer to a 1 hour finish time. This is a really small race so not to many people to run with, I ran with Niall but he eventually pulled back, it was really hot and humid so I did stop at each aid station and got water.

I was able to maintain a good pace but try as I may I could not catch the girl in front of me and with less than a mile to go a bubble twenty something year old bounce by me, I was huffing and puffing she seems fresh and there was no chasing her since I was spent.

All in all not a bad race will probably continue to do it with the hope of breaking 1 hour on this course. Main course really never change, just start and finish location.

Time 1:11:35 (new course PB and I guess a PR since this is the only 7.5 mile race I run)

Overall 24/38

Female 9/15

Age group 2/4