Ran the "Run the Good Race" 10K This Morning

Local physicians Kathy and Peter Sarantos in 2016 began what has become a running tradition here in Gainesville.  Each April they organize the Run the Good Race 5K/10K racing event, with proceeds donated to organizations committed to fighting human trafficking...in today's politically split world, here's one issue everyone can get together on.  I finally got around to entering it this year and just finished running the 10K (6.2 miles) distance.  The course is near I-75 in the North Florida Regional Medical Center office park and residential area behind, across the street from the Oaks Mall...both races began and ended in front of the NFR Cancer Center.  I ran this course before...or something close to it...when I participated in the Run Amuck With the Duck 5K back in 2010.  Today's 10K course was simply a doubling over of the 5K...everyone started off at 8.  Since it was Saturday and the roads were relatively empty due to the medical offices being closed, there was very little traffic to be concerned about.  What I loved about this course was the many hills and slopes, something strikingly missing from my neighborhood self-designed courses.  That residential backstretch on NW 18th Avenue had one monster in particular...I humbly admit to walking part of the way up it.  Race time temperature and humidity both averaged around 60...ideal running conditions for me.  The sky was cloudless and some of us, I'm sure, regretted not having thought of wearing sunglasses...

In a way, the start of the these races tends to be more of a challenge to me than the other parts due to the extreme crowdedness of the runners, walkers, dogs, strollers...and a little girl on a scooter.  Eventually, though, it thinned out to the point where I didn't have to constantly restrain my running in order to avoid suffering catastrophic collisions with others.  I ran at my training pace and finished the race with a time of 61:52...the second half was much faster than the first and despite the hills I felt I could keep on running strong long after it was over.  I was surprised a few minutes later to discover that I had actually won my age category (Men's 60-69) and went up onstage to get my little medal and photo opportunity with Dr. Kathy. This was one of my better public runs of late and I feel encouraged.  263 runners and walkers completed the 5K event and 50 the 10K...I was the oldest 10K runner...

There were little things about the way this race was handled that runners like me notice and appreciate.  Indoor bathrooms, a place to stand inside before the race while it was still chilly outside, the positive energy coming from the Sarantos and the volunteers, recovery food and water available afterwards, water stations at strategic distances during the race, extremely convenient parking...I could go on.  It's definitely a race I'd like to make into my own tradition...a real class act. Kathy and Pete attend the same church as me and many others there who chose to run or walk the 5K as a team...I was the only one of the bunch taking on the 10K distance...

Here's a link to the race results: [start2finish race management]...