Race Report: The Great Balloon Chase 5K (10.6.24)

October started with another out-of-state race! Crossing the finish line in New Mexico brought my state total to 12 and I am feeling great about that! The Great Balloon Chase 5K was the perfect way to commemorate another state and medal and I can’t wait to share about it!

Leading Up To The Race

I found The Great Balloon Chase in New Mexico by cross referencing our planned trip to New Mexico with the Running In The USA website. We were pretty limited on days we could travel, so we were lucky that this lined up. Since we would be so busy with a lot of activities, we agreed that the 5K was the way to go, even though a half marathon and 10K options were also available. It’s also worth noting this was a pricier 5K ($70 per person), but I chalked that up to the experience of seeing hot air balloons on the course. I’m easily convinced.

Race Communication

Although the race website was a bit limited on details, communication leading up to the event was on point. I received no less than three incredibly detailed emails containing all the information I needed on packet pickup, parking, and race day logistics. I love to be prepared so this made me happy and confident in our decision to run. Even though we were in a super new location, we knew exactly where we had to be, when, and how to get there, leaving no questions.

The Morning Of

Since we were so busy doing touristy things, our race experience all took place on Sunday morning. We were about 30 minutes away, and the 5K started at 8:00AM, but the Half started at 7:00 and the 10K at 7:30. We decided we could leave around 6:15, which made this the latest we slept the whole time we were in town. The drive was pretty dark and when we arrived at the venue, the main lot was already full. Boo. Some volunteers guided us to another lot down the road about 1/2 mile. This was fine, but we still had to get our bibs and shirts, which meant walking the 1/2 mile (across a super busy, poorly lit road), returning to the car to drop our gear, and going back out. Meh.

The weather was perfect, and as we made the hike to bib pickup, we saw the Dawn Patrol from the Balloon Fiesta, a group of balloons that head out before the sunrise to gauge the wind and conditions. Did I cry again? You know it. They were so magical agains the mountains. This is what we came for.

Also, are these not the most perfect bibs?

Let’s Talk About The Venue

The race took place at Los Poblanos Fields, which were just that… fields. There was a dusty trail that boxed in said fields, with a few cut throughs. The race organizers had a great setup with food trucks, merch, portapotties, and a bunch of hot air balloon related backdrops and props. I love when a race leans into the theme.

We spent some time taking in the views and I even got to meet a blog reader, K! So cool that we were able to find each other on a busy morning!

Running The Race

Did I start strong? You know I did! Was altitude a problem. Not really. How was the uneven ground? Awful! About a mile in, my ankle and foot were sassing me and by mile two, they were screaming. I was so pissed. But then I looked up and around at all the balloons in the air, and I decided that I would just focus on that. After all, that’s the reason I was there.

On a technical note, the trail was well marked, if not narrow in places. I liked that they sent the three distances out in waves, because the course wouldn’t have been able to handle the number of runners comfortably or safely. Also of note, it was super dusty, which I’m definitely not used to, either.

Not that I wanted hydration, but I didn’t notice a water stop on the course. There may have been one further out for the 10K and half marathon runners, but I didn’t see one for the 5K. For me, it wasn’t a big deal, but I know some people do like to have that.

At The Finish Line

I crossed the finish line, definitely in some pain, which is never how I like things to go.

There was a gazebo full of snacks and water for the runners: there were all kinds of goodies, as well as bananas and oranges.

The temperature was on the rise, and as we decompressed, we noticed balloons starting to come down in the fields around us. So cool.

All runners got a ticket for a free breakfast taco – we had a choice of red or green, and it was a really nice way to wrap up the morning!

It had been a long morning, so we decided to celebrate with coffee and burritos at a super yummy spot we found on our way back to the house. I’d also love to share that for the first time that I can recall, I was not at all sweaty or gross post-race. Having no humidity will do that for you.

Final Thoughts

Short of running more trails, there’s really no way I could better prepare for this race, and I would do it again, even with my limitations. While I really want to run for time, some days, it’s all about the experience.

This race had a lot of positives: great weather, unique ambiance, and fantastic organization. It was big enough to warrant all the fun props and details, but still small enough to not be overwhelming. I appreciated all of those things so much. And while I don’t see myself going to New Mexico just for this race, I do see it as a great option for people who want to soak up as much of the Balloon Fiesta experience as possible.

State #12, done and dusted!

Where should I race next?

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