#fivestarntp cuteoldchick over50runner 5k 10k running

[fivestarrunningramblings]

Mental Flexibility

Recently I discovered an additional benefit of running — flexibility. I don’t mean the physical flexibility of arms & legs (although that too). I mean mental flexibility. The ability to respond effectively to new and problematic situations, or in the baseball vernacular, to redirect yourself when thrown a curveball.

I decided to attend a 5k at the last minute & register race day. Usually, I sign up for races in advance but every once in a while I do race day. I know some big races have registration cut-off days & don't allow race day registration, but with local races I have never had a problem…until now. I drove down to Newtown Park in Johns Creek for the Run Your Happy Tails Off 5k, benefiting Happy Tails Pet Therapy. Once I arrived & saw the number of people there I knew it was going to be a very popular race. My 1st curve ball was not seeing a Race Day Registration sign at the race check-in table. When I asked where it was, they asked if I was pre-registered. No. Then a very apologetic volunteer told me the 5k race was sold out. Wow! I’ve never had that happen at a race before. The volunteer told me they were surprised at the amount of people who had come out in support of the cause, which is great for them. It’s a good organization. I don’t quite understand why a non-profit would turn people (& money) away from a benefit race, but I guess maybe the park had a maximum number of people it could hold or maybe they just ran out of bibs. Don’t know. Their website had advertised Race Day Registration, so I know they offered it at some point. Whatever the reason, the 5k was sold out. The 2nd curve ball came when the volunteer then asked me if I would like to do the 1k Fun Run. “1k? What?…That’s not even a mile, a waste of my time” was my internal monologue. “No thanks” was my actual response.  My mental flexibility took over, thank goodness, and I my response changed to “Sure. I’m already here…why not?” So I did the 1k, .63 miles to be exact, at a leisurely pace, with the kids & the adults with dogs who with either wanted a short run or, like me, got turned down for the 5k but still wanted to participate.

Once I crossed the finish line and got my Participant ribbon (sorta bling), I was going to leave then redirected myself to staying and doing my own 5k away from the crowd. I went in the direction of the other non-race runners at the park & in doing so, discovered the Veterans Memorial Walk which I enjoyed exploring. If you’re ever at Newtown Park, check it out. You won’t be sorry. Here is a blurb about it from the johnscreekga.gov website:

The Veterans Memorial Walk at Newtown Park stands as symbol of remembrance and respect for all the men and women who have and currently serve in the United States Armed Services. The four-acre memorial features a hard scaped trail, circling a newly installed fountain, sponsored granite benches, a grand entrance plaza, and wooden gazebo. Along the trail, black granite monuments pay homage to each conflict, beginning with WWI and include special monuments for Purple Heart Recipients, POW/MIAs, and Women in Service.

Following my own 5k & the Memorial Walk, I stopped at the Farmers’ Market in the park pavillon. I still had money left over from the lower-cost Fun Run so I bought myself some tomatoes, avocados and green beans. Then I went home.

It turned out to be a nice Saturday morning. I got a run in, supported a good cause, paid homage to our veterans & scored some fresh vegetables. All-in-all, I’m glad I was flexible and didn’t let the curve balls shut me down. Actually…I think I knocked them out of the park!

Happy Running!

CuteOldChick

1k--BOOM! 

[fivestarrunningramblings]

Passion Funding

The dictionary definition of Passion is “a strong and barely controllable emotion.”  That’s a pretty good definition. There are many things I am passionate about, but the focus of this post is my passion for races.

Having passion about an activity is a great thing. You are much more likely to stick with an activity when you have a “strong and barely controllable emotion” about it. However, you have to be able to fund it.  Anyone who knows me knows I love doing 5k races. I’ve been doing them for several years now and have come up with ways of funding my passion without breaking the bank.

Now, running is probably one of the least expensive ways to work out. There are no gym fees or monthly dues coming directly out of your checking account. You can run for free in your neighborhood or local park. You don’t need to invest in extensive equipment, just a good pair of running shoes. You need comfortable clothes to wear: t-shirt & shorts in the summer and pants & jackets in the winter. There are plenty of thrift stores around that sell slightly used athletic wear you can buy on a dime (not literally but pretty cheap:) You also acquire plenty of t-shirts when you run races. I have more t-shirts than I will ever wear. There are lots & lots of running gadgets you can put buy if you want to, but they aren’t necessary.  

What is necessary, for me, is to participate in races. That’s the fun part of running. That’s why I do it. Now, this can get expensive. Registration fees for 5k’s can run between $20-$50, depending on several factors, i.e. location, size, sponsor, swag, etc. Most races I do are around $25-$30. Those are typically 5k’s. The cost goes up for 10’s, 15’s, Half’s & Full’s. (I’ve never done a distance higher than a 10k, so I can’t speak to financing those distances.)

Ok…to funding:

Early Discounts. Most all races offer early registration discounts. The timing may differ, but typically there are registration tiers. Example: $20 before X-date, $25 between X & X date, $30 week of race & $35 race day registration. If you are sure you want to do a race on a certain date, registering early can save you some good coin. Be careful, however, because many fees are non-refundable. I like to use the websites runningintheusa.com, rungeorgia.com and, of course, fivestarntp.com to plan my racing calendar.

Specials. I have found that with some of the bigger races, as well as local, the sponsors will throw out specials even after the early registration period has past. Some have “last minute” specials or attach specials to a holiday like Memorial Day, July 4th, Black Friday, etc. The best way to keep up with these offers is to follow the race event on social media or email updates.

Volunteer. It takes a lot of people to pull off a successful race. Volunteers are needed before, during and after. Some race companies (like Five Star NTP) will exchange volunteering for future race entry fees. Since Five Star is my favorite local race company, this has saved me lots of race money over the years. Volunteer jobs include helping with set-up/take-down, registration, water stations, etc. This also gives you an opportunity to hang out with some really cool runner-people! Many of the bigger/national races use Ambassadors to help promote the race before, during and after in exchange for free race entry. The best way to find out about how to become an Ambassador is to look on the race website.

Group Discounts. If you like to run with friends, co-workers, running group, etc., you can save money on race entry fees. Many race companies offer discounts to groups, for example, Five Star (again, my favorite:) offers percentage off discounts based on the number of people in the group.

Repeat Customer. Just like other businesses who appreciate loyalty with coupons, discounts, etc., some running companies do as well. Many will send a race entry discount code to previous year participants. You then enter that code when you register for a percentage off the fee. I love discount codes!

These are some of the ways that I know of to save money on races. There may be even more I’m unfamiliar with. Please share any I missed. I hope these are beneficial to anyone who loves doing 5k’s as much as I do!

Happy Running!

CuteOldChick

[fivestarrunningramblings]

Java Jog 10k

Tomorrow is the Five Star NTP Java Jog 5k/10k & I’m doing the 10k. I haven’t done a 10k since July 2016 but in an effort to jumpstart the New Year’s races and my pursuit of bling, I chose the longer of the two. I like the idea of pushing myself beyond my 5k comfort zone and (honestly) think there will be less women my age in the 10k, thereby increasing my chances of placing in my age group. Getting medals is not the reason I began running 8 years ago, in my early 50’s. The goal at that time was achieve a “runner’s body,” which I now know is whatever body you have when you run; not necessarily the slim, trim vision I had in my mind. But from the first time I received bling (plaque, medal, etc.) for placing in my age group, I was hooked. Now I look forward to the chance that I might place and receive some bling. Confession time: I LOVE races that have Finishers’ Medals. I admit it. Guaranteed Bling! I know there are valid arguments against “Everybody getting a trophy” but at my age & in a sport that favors the young, I’ll take every trophy thrown in my direction. I’ve gotten lots of medals & I love everyone of them, but I always want another one. (Sounds like an addiction, doesn’t it?) I write the particulars of the race on the back of the medal, hang them on my wall and, of course, take a picture to post on social media. I also participate in virtual races, which means I purchase my own medal & complete the distance at the location of my choosing. My US Road Running New Year’s 10k will be completed tomorrow at the Java Jog. 1 medal guaranteed and if I place tomorrow, I’ll double bling. That’s a primo-win!!

Of course, there are many races I do that don’t have Finishers’ Medals and that I don’t place in my age group. When that happens I have to be a big girl about it & not sulk (at least not in public). I will congratulate the ladies whose times were better than mine, wear my race t-shirt with pride & appreciate my accomplishment for its own sake…then check the calendar to see when my next opportunity is to possibly get more BLING!

Happy Running & I hope to see you at the next Five Star race!

CuteOldChick

My Obsession