Those who risk, win: Will Run for Beer

Well we finally finished the race series last Sunday. This series has been going on for so long that it's strange to not have another run expected. Overall the races were fun but I don't think I'll be signing up again next year. Spending the money on each race was too much, in my opinion, so it was a one time thing for me. I know some people do it every year but that's not going to be me. In fact, I've decided to cut back on all my sanctioned race events. I hate to sound greedy, but I'd rather have the money.
You might have noticed that I said that the series was fun overall. There were a couple of races in less than ideal weather, the last one being this race on Sunday. It was almost 90 degrees and the race didn't start until 11 a.m. which was a bad combination. Everyone was immediately pouring sweat, even just walking to the start line. I had the foresight to bring my running water bottle, even though it was only 3.7 miles, but a lot of people were just out to run. With only one water stop, mega-heat, and little shade, I'm surprised there weren't more medical emergencies. Unfortunately the heat combined with the rolling hills made the course pretty miserable. I finished at 35:30, which is an awful time, considering my recent 5K times. I also saw a ton of people walking, which you never see. That included people up towards the front of the race, where it's usually the super fast elite runners.
Right after the finish line there was a sprinkler set up, which felt awesome, and there was a barbeque feast, with of course, free beer. They also had a live band. So, the after-party was fun, but running the race was not. We even had some friends come up to watch the last race, which we all appreciated. Thanks ladies! So, I made it through the series and got my jacket. Mission accomplished.
I've decided that summer time is the best time to give up paying for races, because there are a ton racing clubs running timed races for free. Tonight I'm going to check out the Lynn Woods running club, which offers three different courses, all timed. There's a short race, under 2 miles, an almost 5K, and a long run which happens to be 5.5 this week. I think it will be fun to try something new and run with a group of people for free. Plus, the races are timed and you get a bib number and everything. It's the joy of a sanctioned run with none of the expense. Along with this, there's a running club in Beverly that does 5Ks. One meets on Monday and one on Thursday. I think it will be fun to run with more people and check out new routes.