Frederick Running Festival

Another weekend, another race! 

Headed up to Frederick, MD on Sat afternoon so I could get checked into the hotel and pick up race packets-and prep for that night's 5K!  Hung out in my truck reading my Kindle (Heart of Iron...good read) till it was race time.  Jess and Beth showed up right before race start-always a refreshing change to have someone cheering for you:)  Had a good run, took it easy as I had run that morning with CA and Tammy and with the half the next morning, didn't want to be too tired. 

After the race, I found Jess and Beth-they were looking for me at the beer tent(smart girls! haha), but I had actually made my way to my truck already so I headed back to them.  Just as we met up, I heard some random guy go 'hey are you from Guam?' and I turn around and go 'yeah I am'...with him was Anicia,  one of my soccer buddies from high school that I hadn't seen in 20 years(yes, I totally just aged myself too).  Love what a small world it is:)

Me, Jess and Beth headed to the hotel, I did a quick shower and since it was Cinco de Mayo we of course headed to a nearby(within walking distance!) Mexican restaurant.  They had Monster Margaritas(think fishbowl size) and I opted for a Corona in a festive little pancho.  Great dinner, drinks and fun conversations are the best race prep:)

We were up early the next morning...had to fuel up at the Waffle House for the race lol.  We were expecting it to be hot(based on the weather forecast and the day prior), but it was actually grey and overcast for the first half of the race and even sprinkled on us a little bit.  I headed to the back of the pack and met up with some other Fanatics that were also at IronGirl the week before(and one, Monica, that I had seen the night prior at the 5K too).  We started out.  Frederick is a nice, mostly flat course.  Runs through their old downtown area, then through a very large park, through nice little residential areas before heading back to the fairgrounds. 

I was somewhat bolstered by last week's IronGirl and how well I had done.  Hoped to come in close to that time, and at the very least, under 3 hrs again.  I did *just* squeak in under the 3 hr mark, so for having run twice the day before, I was good with that(and I was 12+ mins faster than last year!).  Nikki will be happy to know I didn't have any Starbucks stops(yes they were open when I ran by) and not even any booze on the course lol.  Goal for the year is to keep improving!

I have to give props all around to this race.  Last year, they had big issues with their shirt pick up.  They listened to the feedback and made changes.  The race was run well from beginning to end.  Exceptional course support-not only from the race itself, but from the residents of Frederick.  Spectators in the neighborhoods we ran through provided extra water stops, snacks, beer and even offered up their bathrooms.

Came away from the race with the half marathon medal, an extra Frederick medal called the Nut Job for doing both the 5K and the half; and picked up my Titanium Girl medal for doing both IronGirl and Frederick! 

 Me and Jess before the race

Up next...a light race weekend and staying local...Young Life 5K in Solomons!