Princeton YMCA 5K/10K

I did it. I signed up for the Disneyland Paris Semi (half) Marathon for the third year in a row, even though if you were to ask me in person I would say I hate running that far. I hate long training runs. I hate leaving my comfort zone.

But...Paris...ahh...Paris.

Or in my case...ahh...Liege, Belgium. The TGV stops at Disneyland Paris. From there it is a three-hour train ride to my other home. The place where I first lived without everything I knew -- my family, and even my language and culture. The place where I learned I can do it. I returned last year for the first time in nearly thirty years and found that feeling again. 

But I am getting ahead of myself. 

My usual training for fall half marathons is the 10K Rev Run in Washington Crossing, PA on July 4th and RunBucks' 15K in August. We'll be in Ohio celebrating my cousin Allie's marriage to Doug on the Fourth of July, and RunBucks does not seem to be offering their 15K this year. Time to look for plans B and C. There are a lot of nice parts about doing a sanctioned race -- top one being water stations, after that is camaraderie, a finisher's medal (=bragging rights), motivation to actually do it and do it well because I paid for it, and the focus. 

When I realized the Princeton YMCA was holding a 5K/10K race in early June I realized I should sign up for it. The Y is a good cause, so I knew the moneys raised would go help people.

The drawbacks? The weather -- we have had a very wet Spring, especially on weekends, and course -- it is the 5K route done twice. We actually went through the start line three times. Without awesome volunteers pointing us in the right direction, I'm sure I would have lost track of where I was supposed to go when. We went through the finish line twice. 

As for the weather, yesterday was near 90 degrees with thunderstorms. Today was 60 and overcast, but no rain or lightning. Much better!

A bonus I had not counted on was that Girls on the Run was doing their end of the season run today, too. They did the 5K, but since the 5K and 10K routes were the same, I got to cheer on the slow runners as I was finishing up my 10K. I did not see nearly as many familiar faces as expected.

I loved the signs along the route cheering me on.

Love the GOTR spirit!

I even received a finisher's medal. The 5K medal was orange.

A note to anyone from the Princeton YMCA, or any other group running a 5K in conjunction with a 10K, a volunteer said it would have helped her if the bibs were someone different -- say a green one for the 10K runners and an orange one for the 5K runners. This would help them direct where people who ask "which way should I go" to the right direction.

As for my time, I finished at 1:11 and change (need to look up the official time) -- about two minutes faster than my time at last year's RevRun. Go me!