Race Recap: Hot Trot 5K

This is my first official “race recap” post, so get excited! Today was the LuLu’s Hot Trot for ARC 5K. The race definitely lives up to its name, as it is extremely hot and ends up being more of a trot than a race. The course is flat and is an out and back with a little side loop added on. The race starts at 7:30 at LuLu’s in Gulf Shores, AL. This is probably one of my favorite races of the year, mainly because of the location and time of year. This race usually falls on father’s day weekend, so my parents are typically in town and we go out on the boat after the race. Today was no exception.

After a two-ish mile warmup, we returned to the start line just in time to line up. I was already absolutely drenched in sweat. The temperature was in the mid-to-high eighties and the humidity was out of control as well. We all knew we were in for a real treat at that point.

This wasn’t necessarily a goal race for me, and coach said that I should try to keep a low 6 minute pace. With that in mind, the race started and everyone took off. The first mile was 6:15. I felt pretty good and felt like I was going to be able to hold somewhere around this pace. There is a turnaround just past mile one and then you run about at half mile back and turn right onto an approximately one mile side loop. This side loop is by far the toughest part of the race. The second mile was 6:20. I still felt okay, but knew that I was not going to be keeping that pace for the remainder of the race. There is zero shade at this point and I was really starting to feel the heat. It felt like a wave of heat washed over my body somewhere in that second mile and once that happens it is really difficult for me to maintain the pace. The third mile was 6:45 and the last .25 was 1:30, for a total time was 20:50.

The course was .15 long. Apparently there are two different certified courses that run basically the same location and so we started from one start location and the turnaround was set up at the other course location. Although it doesn’t sound like much, this extra .15 definitely makes a difference in a 5K. I was hoping to run just under twenty minutes and I think that I would’ve been pretty close to that without the extra distance. Luckily, we all ran the same course out there and I managed to come away with the overall win for the females. No complaints here. The race was hot, challenging and fun. Exactly what I hoped for 🙂

Daniel had a good race too! His first mile was 6:02, second mile was 6:06, third mile was 6:07 and last .25 was 1:08, for a total time of 19:23. He was fourth overall.

Running Wild was very well represented today, with first and second overall female and top 10 male. Team Cheetah!

The post-race party is always so much fun. Everyone just hangs out at the restaurant before it opens. It is a relaxed, fun beach atmosphere and is very family friendly.

Lizzie and I with our awards. We also both won door prizes as well and Daniel’s good buddy, Kenny, who was third overall also won the grand prize giveaway of a free weekend stay at the gulf. Everyone racked up on the prizes 🙂

I was a tad bummed that I didn’t get a coffee mug this year. I have a couple from prior year races and they are the best. I use them every day at work. Thankfully, Daniel got one and he doesn’t even really drink coffee …

After the awards, we headed out on the boat for a fun afternoon on the water. Dad put the boat in at Weeks Bay and came to meet us at LuLu’s. We headed down towards the Pirates Cove and Perdido Bay area and explored Josephine and Soldier’s Creek before heading back to to Weeks Bay. Then we went about as far as humanly possible up the Magnolia River, about a half mile past the Cold Hole.

Mom and Daniel (accidentally matching in their coral and navy).

Dad and I on the boat. He is our fearless captain.

Brooks, aka the happiest dog in the world. He loves the boat and the water oh. so. much.

Whew. I am officially worn out now. We had a wonderful day and are planning to do it all over again tomorrow (minus the 5K part) to celebrate father’s day the only way my dad would have it, on the water!

I hope y’all had a great Saturday. Happy father’s day to all the dads out there! Gotta run!