One of the things I like about doing races is all the good causes that benefit from the money that is raised.   This race was no exception, of course raising money for breast cancer research.  This is the second time I have run this one, the first time being back in 2013.

Packet pick-up was held in the 2 days before the race, which I always like, as it makes me feel a little less rushed on race morning…and also ensures I can attach my bib to my shirt before putting it on, satisfying the perfectionist in me!  Parking the morning of the race was interesting.  The downtown lots were supposed to all be free race morning, as Akron lots are on the weekends I believe, but somehow it seemed the main lots were not and it was a little stressful figuring out just where to park where my car wouldn’t get towed lol!  Once that was accomplished I made my way down to the start line area.  The race was based around Canal Park Stadium, with booths and activities happening inside the stadium and the Start/Finish line just outside the stadium.

It was already very warm and getting warmer as starting time approached.  I believe by the 9:00 start it was around 83-85 degrees and the humidity in the 90’s.  This was to be a very flat course, but I had no illusions about PR-ing this race given the weather conditions.  Even still, I tried to determine what pace I thought I wanted to try to maintain, and settled on 8:45ish.  I was successful at this in the first mile.  From there it was downhill so to speak.  The sun was beating down, and the heat rising up off the asphalt.  By mile 2 my mantra was “keep pushing – don’t puke”.  I doused my head with water after getting a drink at the water station.  Then as I began to run across the Spaghetti Warehouse parking lot, around mile 2.5, I became sick to my stomach and had to stop and walk awhile.  I always get down on myself mentally when I have to stop and walk, though I know there’s no shame in doing it; it feels like a defeat but my nauseated stomach was insistent.  Then in the last half mile or so I picked up again determined to finish strong, my mantra then becoming simply “don’t puke!”  I had decided by that time that I would be happy if I finished in under 30 minutes, which I did: 29:17.  After grabbing a bottle of water and an apple, I made my way into Canal Park Stadium and found a cool spot on the upper concourse.  As I was stretching and cooling down, a woman came up to me with a very concerned look on her face asking me “are you ok??”  I assured her I was fine and laughed, imagining what I must look like.

All in all, it was a good race, for a good cause, and was well organized. It was inspiring to see all the breast cancer survivors and their families there walking and running, and all the tributes that were being made that day.