This was my second time running this race. It is put on my the agency I work for and it goes for a great cause...helping those in need have a good Christmas. Last year when I ran this race I hadn't run much at all for WEEKS prior and was way out of shape. It was also my first cold-ish weather run at 28°. This year was way different. For starters, I've been running VERY regularly since I was training for the Dallas Marathon (which happened 1 week after this race). Last year, I placed 1st in my age group and got a nice little medal to hang on my bling rack. The other thing that was different this year was the temperature. While last year I had to bundle up...I wore 2 pairs of running tights, my running socks with a pair of thick knee high cotton socks on top, a running shirt under a running pullover under my TEAM SHERIFF shirt, gloves and a beanie. I was just right temperature-wise last year. Having never had to layer for running in the cold before, I did a fantastic job. This year, however, it was warm. I only wore just my running socks, 1 pair of tights, and my TEAM SHERIFF shirt. I, of course, also wore an elf hat and some green felt accents to make my TEAM SHERIFF shirt into an elf shirt!
Just like last year, I had a great time. Honestly, my time wasn't much faster than last year's time (32:13 last year, 31:49 this year)...just a mere 24 seconds faster. In my defense, it's a very hilly course. Haha. Last year, I was just trying to finish. This year, honestly, I was actually trying to run fast because I wanted to place in my age group again. It was really nice to see a couple deputies that I am friends with guarding the intersections along the course. Got me some hugs as they wished me luck!
As I ran across the finish line, the announcer gave me a shout out, saying "and here comes Santa's elf, Sara Casey!" Love it! Last year, there were so many people dressed up as elves and Christmas trees and there might have even been a Santa too. This year? It was just me. While disappointed, I didn't let it get me down. I just had more holiday spirit than everyone else! HA!
I did place in my age group again, however there was a lady that was much faster than me AND they did 10-year groups instead of 5-year groups (hate this), so I got 2nd instead of 1st like I was hoping for. Something I'm disappointed in with this year's race is that they did not hand out medals to the age group winners. Instead, 1st place got a $20 gift card to Rogue Running, 2nd place (me) got a $10 gift card to Rogue Running and 3rd place got an Austin Running Club running hat with a zipper pocket for a key. I would have liked to have also received a medal on top of my gift card. It's not like the medals they gave out last year were fancy. They cost probably less than $5 each. I'm just saying, it would have been really nice if I could have added to my bling rack. But, I put that $10 together with the $20 gift card, also to Rogue Running, that I won from the Halloween Half for their photo costume contest and got me another pair of running shoes! WOOHOO!
I love this race, however, I'm thinking that next year I might do the Decker Challenge Half Marathon that happens the same day and starts from the same start line 15 minutes before Brown Santa kicks off. I know 2 other people that almost always run the Decker Challenge and they are both telling me I should run it...and it would help me reach my goal of running at least 5 half marathons in 2015.
I totally agree -- 10 year age groups are the worst! I'm kind of glad I didn't know you were doing a 5k the week before the marathon -- I would have thought that was a bad idea, but it clearly worked very well for you! Congrats on another AG award, even if not the medal kind.
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