GMC Valdosta 5K

It is was a HOT & SIZZLING 5K today here in South Georgia, however, this 5K came with so many perks that it made it a fun run!!!!!! Seriously, it was like 80 something degrees with 98% humidity!!! WOWZERS!!!!!!

Pictured above are some cool running peeps that I always look forward to seeing at the local 5Ks...... we were all sweaty and stinky.....but, when someone yelled "GROUP PIC," not one of us cared!!! :D

Let's Talk Perks

Ok, everyone who participates in a 5Ks, knows that one receives a race packet that usually includes a t-shirt, maybe some advertising pens, hand sanitizer, etc..........BUT, TODAY'S 5K had added perks!!!!!!

First of all, what about a misting tent at the half way mark?!!!!!!! Yes, a MISTING tent!!!!!! We were given a head's up about the misting tent being on course prior to the race..... we were informed that we could, indeed, run into the yard to run through the mist!!!!!

At first glance, the misting tent does not appear to be giving off that much mist, but..... let me tell you..... it was ABSOLUTELY delightful!!!! You didn't get soaked, but your body was instantly cooled!!!!! It felt wonderful......... and, it was oh so appreciated!!! Only, negative thing that I could probably say, the misting tent made you want to just stop running, and stand in the middle of all the mist!! It felt soooooooooooo GOOD on this hot humid day......but, when you are in the middle of a 5K, you don't have time to just stand there.....you have to keep moving! LOL!!! :D

Ok, moving on..... I think you got the drift of the beauty of a misting tent...... seriously, the misting tent was BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!

Now, at larger races like half marathons and full marathons, there are usually massage therapists to help with running cramps to the legs and such..... this is usually something that you don't expect to see at a 5K (3.1 miles for those wondering). Ohhhhhhhhhh, but at the GMC 5K, there was indeed a massage therapist!!!!!!!

Yes, today, Allyse Hargrove of MyoLife Massage Therapy was at the GMC 5K..... check out the website at www.myolifemassage.com

Any more perks you ask? Why YES!!!! There was also a photographer present!!!! In fact, this is a photographer in the local area named Erik Revills of Erik Revills Photography... check out his website at www.erikrevillsphotography.com

Erik takes wonderful photos..... we were warned at the beginning of the race that he would be at the finish line, and to make sure that we were smiling.... that, in fact, if you are not smiling, then you would be automatically disqualified!! LOL!!!! I have a feeling, even with knowing about the photographer at the finish, my finish photo will be like all my others..... I will probably look like I am dying, or I will have some crazy weird expression on my face!!! LOL!!!!! But, we will see.... maybe Erik can work some magic and perform some fancy photo shopping of my photos!!! HA! HA! :D

And, the best race director title goes to....

Below, is my friend, Lisa...... also, the race co-ordinator/director of this FABULOUS 5K!!!!! I have to give a HUGE shout out to her!!!! She really knows how to put on a 5K!!! Don't you agree?!!! She really put a lot of hard work into organizing this successful 5K!!! THANK YOU LISA! YOU SERIOUSLY ROCK!!!!! I do hope she is now relaxing in a lounge chair that is under the misting tent, and sipping on a margarita ..... or maybe she is getting a massage now? However she decides to spend the rest of the day, she deserves it!!!!!

PR for Course

Ok, today was not an over all PR for a 5K........buttttttttt, it was a PR (personal record) for this particular 5K!!! Unofficially, as per my garmin, my time was 24:14. In 2015, I ran this course in 28:35 and in 2016, I ran it in 26:52..... so, my time of 24:14 knocked 2+ min off my PR for this course!!!!! Happy runner here!!!!! Seriously, that is the thing about running..... sooooooooo many factors have to be consider when reviewing race times..... weather, whether you are rested, trained up, sick, injured, etc....... sometimes, instead of focusing on a time, you have to look back at the course/conditions for comparison .... that is the only way to evaluate any personal improvement. You can't get all hung up on numbers like us runners tend to do.

Anddddd, don't start giving me credit for this way of thinking..... these are words from the coach that designs my training plans when I started to get discouraged last summer.... so, the credit for this wisdom goes to Todd Smoot of A Course Line. He is the best!! I started at age 40 running .... so wish I had started sooner, but within the last 5 years, I have made improvement thanks to the coach! He trains all level of runners! Locally and from afar! If you are interested, check him out:

*Email coachsmoot@earthlink.net and let him know - you will be sent more information.
* send friend request to Todd Smoot on Facebook (he will friend you back--he communicates about local running events through his Facebook page or follow @Smoot_Todd on Twitter

**My time today was good enough to snag Female Master's category...

RUNNING FRIENDS

Below, is my friends Rhonda and Frank.... if you follow me on Instagram, you often see them in my Sunday Long run posts........ the long run is a HUGE part of training, and I am thankful for these two always showing up at the early morning hours to get me through......

Here is my friend Charlie.... he is awesome!!!! He is such an inspiration, and he is always so encouraging!!! He just received great news that he has been accepted to complete in the Wheelchair division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race this year!!!!!! How cool is that?!!!!

Below, are some fabulous ladies!!! They make 5Ks fun!!! Don't let their cuteness fool you, some of these ladies are hardcore.... like Spartan race hardcore......I give kudos to them! I would never be able to complete a Spartan race!!!

More running friend photos...... usually, I am not good at getting around a race to collect photos, but today, I was determine!!!! Seriously, these are some awesome running peeps!!!! :)

Below, is my friend Arlene!! If you have followed my blog in the past, you probably are already familiar with her..... she is awesome!!!! I drive her crazy at times with my packing for our yearly Tallahassee half marathon trip in February (I just might tend to over pack a little)..... and, she still gets in a car with me, although she is not a fan of my driving.... lol!!!

*****OH, ANOTHER PERK TODAY..... see the towels around our necks? They were water/ice towels that were handed to us straight out of a cooler at the end of the finish shoot!!!!! Seriously, it was like you just ran through the gates of heaven and an angel handed them to you!!!! BEST PERK EVER..... well, or at least close to the misting tent!! :D

Below, my friend Susan.... she was awesome today!!!!! She arrived late to the race..... anddddd, she did not let the deter her..... nope, she jumped out of her car, jumped on the course, and had someone just prior to the finish line hand her bib to her so she could hold it up coming through the finish shoot.... also, to the right is my friend Angel..... she rocks!!!!!! She competes in mud runs!! She is hardcore!!!!

And, pictured below are my friends Kelly and Kevin.... these two are amazing!!!!! They always smoke me in races!!!! But, while I look to be dying, they are making the run look effortless and chat the entire time!!!! They are amazing runners...... I will forever be chasing them!!!!!!

Well, that about sums up the day..... going to try to get back to blogging...... I needed a break.... will talk about that in a future post that I am writing..... can't promise that I will blog everyday, but I will shoot for once a week.... or maybe a couple times a week.....

Is there something you would like me to blog about? Questions? Please comment in comment section or shoot me an email! I am open to any criticism to make this blog something of interest and entertaining! I am not an expert by any means, but I do hope to show that at any age and any fitness level, ANYONE can have fun staying active! I appreciate those that have "liked" and support my Facebook page or follow me on instagram. I hope to be a bit more active with this blog.... trying to gain direction of what I want to deliver to others excited about running, food, and just life in general! Together, we can support one another...........