The Beson4 Media Group Corporate Run was an interesting one.
For one, it was on a Thursday. For another, it was at night.
I’m fairly certain I’ve never raced midweek, and I am really sure that I don’t care for night running.
But, I’m all about participating, and joined up with my company’s team.
I arrived at Metropolitan Park at around 5:00, to get my packet and be on hand for team pictures. The field was completely decked out in corporate tents, with ever increasing numbers of people arriving. It was great to see the matching team shirts and enthusiasm from all around.
I loved the setup – everything was nice and centrally located, in easy reach of real restrooms. That’s always a plus as far as I’m concerned.
The start time of the run was pushed back to 6:45 PM, so I was there a good bit of time. However, it was nice – we did pictures and chatted and stretched.
As the start time approached, we headed over to the start line. I positioned myself a little closer to the front than I normally would. I knew there were going to be a lot of speedy folks out there, and I may have overestimated myself. Live and learn, right?
When the gun went off, I went off with it. My strategy was to start my intervals as soon as the crowd thinned and I could get to the side, but there was a flaw to this brilliant plan: the crowd took a while to thin and there was no way to get over. Oops. I ran about a half mile at a (for me) searing 6:00 pace, and I was done.
The course was nice and, most importantly, different. It wound through some little residential neighborhoods in downtown Jacksonville that I don’t remember seeing before, so it was nice to have a change of scenery. There were some little, rolling inclines that were most certainly annoying, especially after my failed heroics at the start, but I kept with it. Maybe I slowed down a bit during running and maybe I added a few extra seconds to some walk breaks, but that’s the consequence I had to pay.
It wasn’t a complete failure: I didn’t PR, but it was my second fastest 5K by over a minute, so I really can’t complain.
I found my way back to our tent, where the party was in full swing. There were hot dogs, chips and salsa, cookies, beer, wine and frozen margaritas.
Few things are better after a hot run than a frozen margarita.
I had a little something to eat and hung out a bit more, before calling it a night. Construction has been pretty awful in and out of the city and I wanted to get home to a nice shower.
All in all, I would call it a success, and a fun way to spend a Thursday night.
What are your thoughts on night racing?
Do you ever run with a team?
Sounds like a fun race! I’ve never done an evening race. I always worry about fueling…
Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home recently posted…Courage
Fueling is tricky. I never know what to eat and then end up ravenous with a grumbly tummy. Oh, well. It’s just another challenge to add in 🙂
This sounds fun! Pretty much anything that ends with Margaritas is A-OK in my book. So neat that your company does things like this!
The only night racing I’ve done was with Ragnar, and honestly I loved it! I can’t safely do much night running where I live since there aren’t any sidewalks, and the shoulders are VERY narrow. Not to mention coyotes… EEK! But I do prefer running a little later in the day. I always feel looser versus running in the morning. Always a struggle.
Stacie Seidman recently posted…Thursday’s Threads: Birthday Suit
Margaritas are always a win!
Oh, no thank you to coyotes. That would be a negative. I seem to run better at night (maybe it’s because I’m looser), but I don’t like it. I feel like I”m stressing about it all day, rather than just getting it done and out of the way. Once again, probably all in my head.
Jealous of the margaritas! Our company only had Bud Light.
The weather was perfect though!
Bud Light is yummy, too! That would have been my ordinary go-to, but I couldn’t let the margaritas go to waste.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this run! We have a corporate 5k here in Orlando and, well, its a cluster! I’ve done it once and that was more than enough. Unless you are one of those folks that CAN maintain a 6 min per mile pace its almost impossible to run. No thank you!
Meghan R recently posted…15 Races in 2015 – Race #5 – Run for the Trees 5k
There are some speedy runners in this one, but the race is also very walker-friendly. Once I got out of the craziness, it was fine.
Sounds like a fun race- real bathrooms and margaritas- you hit pay dirt! I am not a night race fan either and can’t say I have ever ran a race during the week, interesting!
Mary Beth Jackson recently posted…April #FabulousFitGear Swap reveal!
It was kind of odd – not bad, just different. I guess it’s like a Thursday night Happy Hour? Always better to get in a run with those cocktails.