Volunteer then race - Firecracker 4 Mile St. Louis

I've been hearing about Bodies Race Company for quite some time now but when I saw an option to "volunteer then race"  in their Firecracker 4 and 8 miler at Creve Coeur Lake Park, I decided to check them out and take advantage of the discounted race entry for volunteering.  The discounted 4 mile entry was only $20 but then I also opted to not receive a shirt, which cut an additional $5 off of the cost.  I really like how some races have caught on to this trend of giving a discount for opting out of the shirt.  Their race shirt was fine, I just took advantage of the additional discount instead of receiving another shirt.  What I really wanted and what draw me to this race in the first place, was the medal!

I signed up at the beginning of June and race day was June 30th.  Between registration and race day, there were plenty of email reminders.  My volunteer shift was at packet pick-up, which was on race day starting at 6:15 a.m. and ending at 8 :00 a.m. when the race started.  I've volunteered at plenty of packet pick-up's before but what was different about this one was that we used our own phones after downloading the RaceDay CheckIn app. It was easy to use and runners either had their QR code ready or gave us their last names. From the app I could also tell that 250-some had registered for the race and by start time, 87% of those registered had checked in.  There were quite a few volunteers at pick-up too, which made the time fly by and the line never got too long for the runners. 

Some fun tidbits from check-in included one gentleman who asked me where the awards would be as he was picking up his shirt and bib.  I guess it came off to me as presumptuous at first (my bad), so I told him what I knew. Then I saw his age. He was 77!  Right there I decided that was one of my new life goals.....to still be finishing races at 77. And he didn't look 77, maybe late 50's, so there's another life goal!  There was also the woman who was concerned about finishing since she was injured.  She downgraded from the 8 miler to the 4 but I reassured her that with Creve Coeur Lake Park being open to the public, she would never feel alone on the course and that the course closure time was pretty gracious with having an 8 miler.  Later I saw her at the finish line taking a selfie with her medal, so that also made my day!

I ended up walking 99.9% of the race since I had two blisters on the bottom of my left foot from breaking in new running shoes. I didn't bring music, I just took in the cooler temps and the lake views and enjoyed myself on the 4 mile walk.  Since the course was an out-and-back, you got to see all of the 4 mile runners and also the very fast 8 mile runners. I was just happily walking along when so many people told me "good job" or "keep it up."  It just made the walk that much more pleasant. 

I should mention parking. Most races at Creve Coeur Lake Park start and end at the Tremayne Shelter, just like this race did.  We always park here when we walk or run at this park because there is a large parking lot and it is adjacent to year-round restrooms.  So parking was not an issue at all for this race. 

So what caught my eye about this race was the medal, which was a Top Gun theme.  I love Top Gun, including the new movie and I use the phrase "negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full" quite often to convey that I am already at capacity and not taking on anything else.  Anyway, the medal lights up and flashes red and blue!!!  I will probably wear it on the 4th of July just to feel festive.

Then here are some pictures that I took during the race.

One section of the course took you onto a trail, but the majority was an asphalt paved path

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Prettier in black and white

Post race snacks included ice cream from a local food truck and then water and granola bars. 

I had a great time completing the "volunteer then race" option for the Firecracker 4 Miler. I will definitely keep an eye out for future opportunities like this.  Bodies has races all over the country, so here is their website to check them out:  https://bodiesracecompany.com/  

Creve Coeur Heart to Heart 5k

On Saturday my running/walking buddy was actually in town for the Creve Coeur Heart to Heart 5k.  Since I live closer to this race, I picked up our packets at the Dielmann Recreation Complex on Friday afternoon.  Packet pick-up options were Thursday and Friday from Noon - 6 p.m. and an hour before the race. This year's shirts were a blue tech material, which I preferred over colors used in previous years. 

I've done this race several times now and for the most part, it tends to start and finish in Millennium Park by BJC West Hospital. Since Millennium Park is under construction and isn't due to debut it's renovated features until June 7th, the start and finish lines this year were at the Creve Coeur City Hall.  Going into race day, we were worried about the forecast but the luckily the race ended up happening in between rain showers.  Before we knew it, the mayor of Creve Coeur sent us off and we ran through a line of cheerleaders from one of the local schools (Creve Coeur is actually split between Ladue and Parkway school districts).

The course wound through more established residential neighborhoods with great shade from mature trees.  There were plentiful water stops and many residents along the course supported runners from the end of their driveways.  Any time my friend is able to join me the time flies by, so this 5k flew by and before we knew it we were done.  

We were handed our medals and we grabbed out post-race food which included bananas, clementines, lemonade, water, and granola bars.  There were less vendors this year but a local chiropractor had a tent as well as State Farm and Orangetheory.  With the race being at city hall this year, I knew that I wanted to grab brunch with my friend at a new restaurant nearby called Oats and Honey Cafe.  Since the race started at 7:30, we finished early enough to grab a table before the restaurant got too busy.  Next year when the race is back at Millennium Park we will probably brunch at The Shack, but my friend really enjoyed her meal this time at Oats and Honey. 

Cloudy skies and humid as we wait for the start of the race

Race shirt and medal

I ordered the Pastor Bagel (pictured below) while my friend ordered the Asada Bagel and both were delicious. Once you order you are brought several conchas, which is a Mexican sweet bread.

What I liked about this race: It is a smaller race but it's a really fun and supportive group of volunteers and vendors.  Whether the race is at Millenium Park or Creve Coeur City Hall, this is the closest race to my home so I love to support this race whenever possible. For being a smaller race, there was a significant amount of time for packet pick-up.  I also like the tech shirts and race medals for this race. 

Cicada status:  The cicadas were far more prevalent along this course but they weren't as concentrated as they were in mid-May.

50th Annual University City Memorial Day Run

On Memorial Day I walked the 50th Annual University City Memorial Day Run.  This race offers a 5k, a 10k, and a fun run.  I usually do this race with a friend but ever since she upgraded her camper, she's out of town every Memorial Day now.  I knew that I wasn't trained enough to do the 10k, so I opted to walk the 5k.  Pre-race packet pick-up was available on Sunday afternoon or immediately before the race.  I always opt for their race day pick-up since I like to arrive and park very early anyway.  This year, the pick-up was inside the library and took less than 10 minutes.  I always park in the public lot northeast of Kingsland and Delmar and I always get a coffee at Starbucks to kill time until the 5k starts at 7:50 a.m.  It had stormed several times on Sunday, so the weather Monday morning couldn't have been more perfect!

Pre-race email communication was timely and provided all the details that I needed.  The course winds through gorgeous neighborhoods with well-manicured lawns. There were plenty of volunteers and police along the course to cheer us on and the post-race food was AMAZING!  Let's start with the fact that they offer Fitz's root beer from the keg and their wait line was longer than the beer line when I went through!  The Fitz's Delmar location is near the start/finish by the way, and totally worth a visit.  Also available were a couple different canned beers to choose from, Mr. Wizards frozen custard, bananas, granola bars, and water.  I always look forward to this race as it's a great way to kick off the summer.  Being in St. Louis, you never know what the weather will be like on Memorial Day but this year it was perfect.

Below are some picture I took that morning:

Post-race food tents

2024 race shirt and medal

Cicada status: I only heard cicadas on one brief stretch, but the course was otherwise cicada free.  This is absolutely crazy to me since I live just 8-ish miles from this race and the cicadas are HORRIBLE further into St. Louis County.

Make Tracks Through the Zoo 5k

On May 19th I walked (with a dash of jogging) the Make Tracks Through the Zoo 5k with a friend.  I ran this race back in 2022 with a different friend, but apparently I didn't blog about it.  Back in 2022 I had convinced my husband to come along and support me since my friend was bringing her husband and two sons and we planned to walk around the zoo after the race.  Now I like to be early to races, typically parking with at least an hour to spare depending on the size of the race. So in 2022 I thought we were leaving early enough to allow plenty of time to park and walk through the zoo to the start line, but everyone decided to arrive at the same time we did.  It was a nightmare!  We waited for 30 minutes just to get to the light at Hampton Avenue from interstate and then it was a solid line of traffic into the south parking lot. Unfortunately I didn't think to have my husband drive so that I could hop out and get to the finish in time so by the time we finally parked, I was basically running through the zoo to get to the start line after the race had technically already started.  Luckily so many people were stuck in traffic that they left the start line open and my friend waited patiently for me to arrive.  

Flash forward to 2024 and a different race friend picked me up at 5:30 a.m. for the 7 a.m. race.  Parking this time was an absolute breeze!  The pre-race emails and the race packet from packet pick-up had maps showing the many options for parking including at the start line (Muny lot), the Forest Park Visitor's Center lots, north zoo entrance lot, and the south zoo entrance lot where I usually park.  We also opted to park by the lot exit, and there were still PLENTY of spaces available in this area when we left the zoo around 10 a.m.

The race started at the Muny but ended within the zoo, so we still had to walk about a mile from our parking spot to the start line.  You can easily get lost in Forest Park, but luckily there were plenty of people to follow to the start line.  Once we arrived at the start area we waited in a short line for porta-potties before lining up.  There were corrals by pace to indicate who would be starting first, but there was no break in between the corrals which would have cut down on the congestion.  Speaking of, the course congestion reminded me of Disney races.  In many sections of the course you just couldn't pass due to the width of the course or strollers, so we just opted to walk most of the race.  The course was beautiful as any race in Forest Park is but once you enter the zoo, I was reminded again of Disney races.  Music is playing over the speakers and you pass little crowds of spectators as you wind through the immaculately landscaped grounds.  Many of the animals were out, so you saw many runners stopping to take pictures.  

The finish line had changed from 2022 though and it seemed more congested this time.  You received a bottle of water right after the finish line then you had to walk a bit to get to the "post-race participant breakfast."  In 2022, I think they just handed us a brown bag with the food already inside but by the time we reached the food line this year, they were already out of paper bags.  My friend and I ended up grabbing a banana, an apple, a chocolate muffin, an orange juice, a chocolate milk, and a Clif Kid Z Bar.  Apparently there was also some kind of electrolyte drink offered as well, but they were out by the time we walked through the line.  Because my friend and I frequently shop at Aldi, we grabbed discarded drink packaging to use as our makeshift bags since there was so much post-race food to carry.

From there we walked around the zoo for a while with our makeshift bags before leaving.  We were able to see quite a few animals and talk to some amazing zoo volunteers during that time.  Since we both LOVED this race, we plan to come back next year.  We'll arrive early again, park in the same area since it was a breeze this year, but we will pack little baggies in our fuel belts in case they run out of paper bags again.  

Here are a few pictures from this fun and family-friendly race:

Zoo entrance from the south parking lot

Waiting near the back

Race t-shirt, I loved the color this year

Cicada status: I did not notice any cicadas along the course or at the zoo.  I've heard that St. Louis City isn't seeing near as many cicadas as St. Louis County and in this case, that proved to be true!

Half Marathon #56 - MO' Cowbell

I am obviously way behind on my blogging, but I completed half marathon #57 on Sunday, October 1st.  I had started training with the Big River Running training team this summer but got thrown off course by a week long illness and then too many weekends out of town or with overnight visitors.  I knew that I still wanted to do MO' Cowbell because I love the course and it's so walker-friendly, so I ended up run/walking the first couple miles and then completely walked the remaining mileage.  It was warm this year, but still a beautiful day.  

I always highly recommend this race for many reasons including:

• Start/finish line is easy to get to and near several hotels
• Expo is also easy to get to and easy to get through quickly
• Plenty of delicious and unique restaurants near the expo and the start/finish line
• VIP option with separate porta potties, bag check, food (Chris' Cakes catering, Bike Stop Cafe pre-race caffeine and pastries), and beer but you can also partake in the other post race food
• Post race food included bananas, breakfast bars, salty snacks like popcorn and chips, chocolate milk, and beer
• Pacers for the half and full marathon
• Swag this year included a hooded sweatshirt, sticker for your distance, a cowbell, drawstring bag, and a finisher's medal for your distance

Here are a couple pictures from this year's race:

The Big Run 5K Training Program Review

I remember overhearing two colleagues talking and one of them mentioned that she was sore because she had just started a 5k training program through Fleet Feet - St. Louis.  The other colleague remembered that I ran and recommended that she talk to me about her soreness.  As I overheard the conversation pretending to not pay attention, I wondered if my sore colleague was shocked that I "ran" or not.  I still don't look like a runner, I may never look the way that I think a true runner should, but I had been working my way through the You Can Run program through Peloton in preparation for summer races.  The Peloton program was going ok, but I just wasn't all that motivated yet.  Within a few days of the conversation I overheard, my sore colleague approached me and started telling me all about the 5k training program she had started on April 11th.  I had seen the email from Fleet Feet about the program but I thought "why would I pay $100 for a 5k training program" and I just deleted the email without a second thought.  But when my colleague described it to me, I was suddenly interested.  Maybe I needed the accountability of meeting a group for a run on Saturdays and a track workout on Tuesdays because I wasn't forcing myself to do those runs on my own.  The benefit of this particular program was that it was training for The Big Run 5k on June 7th, which was a race that I had already registered for AND the best part was that they were still allowing people to enroll several weeks into the program at a discounted rate.  Since I am somewhat frugal, I waited until the price went down to $52 and I registered on May 10th.  Here is a description of the program from the Fleet Feet website:

The Big Run 5K Training Program program is a learn to walk, run/walk or run program designed for the true beginner.  During this 8-week program, participants are surrounded by a team of dedicated, motivated people all working toward the goal of becoming healthy and strong. By the time they cross the finish line of The Big Run 5K, team members will have learned the importance of proper form, stretching, hydration, and nutrition - all the tools needed to maintain their new fitness routine.

In addition to the accountability of two group runs a week and the discounted price, I also loved that the weekend long runs rotated between three parks that were all near my home.  Within a day of registration I received several emails with information about the training schedule, coaching assignments, and other useful websites.  I was all set!

My first group run was on May 13th and even though the mileage that day was two miles, I was as nervous as I was at the start line of my last marathon.  Maybe it was because my colleague had been in this training program since the beginning and she was now in the same pace group as I was.  Maybe it was because I am an introvert and joining this group meant meeting a lot of new people. I don't know what made me nervous but I did end up having a great time!  My pace group was great (some talkers and some quiet runners like myself), the pace physically felt good, the distance was completely comfortable, our pace group leaders were very upbeat and helpful, and the Fleet Feet staff were very welcoming and answered all of my questions.  

Each week leading up to the Tuesday track workout and the Saturday long run, we received a reminder email with detailed instructions about the upcoming run.  In addition to the two group runs, the training schedule also included one run on our own plus suggested workouts for the other days.  I find it very helpful to have a schedule and have someone else telling me exactly what to run and when.  Since I joined the training program halfway through, I only made it to a few Saturday long runs and two Tuesday track workouts but in that short amount of time, I felt really connected to my group and the program.  Now that The Big Run 5k is over and the training program has concluded, I am left feeling sad but also so grateful that my colleague talked me into joining.  I feel more motivated now to continue running on my own and am really trying to stay in the same pace and run/walk interval that we trained in.  

Thank you Fleet Feet - St. Louis for allowing people to join the program late (even half way through) AND at a discounted rate.  I had a blast and I feel ready to continue running 5k's this summer. 

Half Marathon #55 MO' Cowbell

This was my 5th time completing the MO' Cowbell half marathon:

MO' Cowbell has been my 21st half, my 45th half, my 51st half, my 54th half and 1st virtual half marathon, and my 55th half marathon.  Of all of the St. Louis are half marathons, MO' Cowbell is my favorite!  If you haven't read my previous MO' Cowbell race recaps, I will just summarize by telling you exactly what I told the runner from Southeast Missouri and the runner from Dallas, TX in the VIP tent on race morning:

• The course is mostly flat
• There is plenty of race day parking and the parking and start/finish line is easy to get to
• The course, hotels, and restaurants aren't far from the airport
• Gorgeous fall foliage!  (Apparently the trees aren't starting to change in Dallas yet) 
• A scenic course including downtown St. Charles and the riverfront, the countryside, and a variety of neighborhoods including NEW TOWN (my personal fav)
• Great crowd support
• The most reasonably priced VIP area

I am also a fan of this year's swag as it was a very lightweight, tech, long-sleeved, hooded shirt with a front pocket and thumb holes.  You also received a swag bag, a sticker for your race distance, and a cowbell.  This year's medal had a spinning piece that showed '22 on one side and 13.1 on the other.

This year's experience was similar to last year's in that I walked over 50% of the race BUT I used the Galloway Method for the first 10k or so.  This combination shaved 29 minutes off of last year's finish time!!!  I still finished over three hours, but I was SUPER excited about my finish time and look forward to actually training for the 2023 race.

Here are some other pictures I took on the course, mostly approaching and within New Town.

I hope that you will consider running (or walking) this race in 2023, especially now that they offer a 10k option as well.  Check out their website and save the first weekend in October for a trip to St. Charles, MO. 

Girl Scouts Go: Run for the Cookies 5K Race Recap

The Saturday after Thanksgiving I ran the Go Scouts Go: Run for Cookies 5k in Maryland Heights, MO.  Just like the Olivette Turkey Trot, I have known about this race for years but just ran it for the first time this year.  Also like the Olivette Turkey Trot, this race course was VERY close to where I live.  

What I really loved about this race was the option to save money by not getting a race t-shirt.  If I remember correctly, it saved me $5 (which I just used towards my pre-race Starbucks).  I opted to pick up my packet on Saturday at the Des Peres Fleet Feet and it only took a matter of minutes to get my bib.  

This race course is close to my home but it is also right off of I-270 and Page Avenue, so it is super convenient for locals.  The race started at 8 a.m. so I was parked by about 7:15 a.m.  It was a bit chilly again that morning, so I just waited in my car until 7:50 and I walked right up to the start line.  This race had corrals that were released roughly three minutes apart.  Since I couldn't remember which corral I signed up for,  I just started in corral two.  The race course took us through the industrial park area of Westport Plaza, which was surprisingly hillier than I expected or was prepared for.  

Right off the bat I felt slower than I did at the Turkey Trot.  I just felt sluggish, so I started my intervals a lot earlier at this race.  Once the flow of runners started to thin out, I kept pace with a couple pre-teen Girl Scouts.  They would run while I was walking and I would run while they were walking.  Eventually there was one Girl Scout running alone after her friend ran ahead, and we started talking.  We talked about the hot chocolate at the finish and she reminded me that there would also be Girl Scout cookies.  We talked about the new Girl Scout cookie, which I had not tried yet.  Talking to someone else, especially about Girl Scout cookies, was a welcome distraction from feeling sluggish and it honestly helped me finish the 5k faster than I would have otherwise.  Despite feeling much, much slower than I did at the Turkey Trot I ended up only being 34 seconds slower, so I was very happy with my time.  Once you crossed the finish line you were greeted by volunteers, a medal, and water.  Then back in the parking lot were the much anticipated Girl Scout cookies and hot chocolate.  They had my favorite cookie the thin mints, so I was beyond excited!

After the race as I was stretching, I was approached by a fellow runner who thanked me for keeping her at a good pace.  I guess she is like me and tries to find someone to pace with to avoid running too fast, and also finding someone to follow for motivation.  It was a nice compliment and I even turned around to make sure that she wasn't talking to someone behind me.  I am normally silent and don't talk to anyone during a race unless I am running it with a friend. This was a nice change and I just left the race feeling really happy and excited for the next 5k. 

Olivette Turkey Trot Race Recap

Thanksgiving Day seems like ages ago already, but I am still on cloud nine about my Turkey Trot finish time.  Now 37:49 is likely slow for a 5k to most runners reading this, but that is my fastest 5k time since 2017!!!  

In 2020 I just ran a virtual Turkey Trot due to Covid and I think all of the local Turkey Trots were virtual last year too, so it was nice to have an in-person option close to home.  The race started and ended in Stacy Park in Olivette, which is near my home and my work.  This park is very easy to get to since it is just off of Olive Boulevard between I-170 and I-270.  

Before Covid I had run the Turkey Trot downtown, the St. Charles Turkey Trot, and the black Friday Turkey Trot in Town and Country.   The Olivette Turkey Trot is technically the closest race course to my home, so it has been on my radar for years and I was happy to finally be able to run it.  Packet pick-up was held on the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving at Olivette City Hall. Since I picked up my packet on Tuesday, it wasn't busy at all.  There was also a race day option for packet pick-up.  Swag included a long sleeved blue tech shirt and you had the option to purchase previous years shirts for $5, which I took advantage of again. 

I often run and walk in Stacy Park, so I knew that it had a small parking lot and I wasn't sure where overflow parking would be, so I arrived around 7:10 a.m. to ensure that I would snag a parking spot.  Upon arrival, several Olivette fire trucks and police vehicles were already on-site and the music was going.  The mayor was present as was our St. Louis County Executive (he's become locally famous during Covid).  Hot chocolate, coffee, and tea were available adjacent to race day packet pick-up and there were plenty of porta-potties available in addition to the park's permanent restrooms.  Stacy Park has a nice walking path, and I saw plenty of people warming up before the race.  As the parking lot filled up, I realized that overflow parking was being directed to the grass in between the ball fields but I loved that I was able to park right at the start/finish line.  As a result, I was able to stay in my warm car until five minutes before the race started.  

The race course was basically one large loop with a few small hills.  I was so pumped about this race that I didn't even switch over to my intervals until about halfway through the race.  I just got into a good pace and was fueled by all the people around me.  The other runners and walkers were people of all ages and abilities, a lot of strollers, and lots of dogs.  Spectators along the course were friendly and were cheering us on, despite the cold morning.  Waiting at the finish line were snacks like hot chocolate, coffee, tea, water, beer, bloody mary's, and chips.  The Olivette police department opened a separate exit for people to be able to easily leave the park, and it was actually a breeze leaving the park which is one problem I came across at the downtown and St. Charles Turkey Trots. I would highly recommend this race to anyone living or visiting the St. Louis area for Thanksgiving.  It really was a great race!

MO' Cowbell Half Marathon - #54

Last Sunday I walked the MO' Cowbell Half Marathon with my running/walking buddy Stephanie.  It was technically her 2nd half marathon but 1st in-person half marathon, having completed the virtual Single Chuck Challenge with me in 2020.  We decided to walk this race since our training was not consistent this summer and I was bouncing back from an injury incurred during my last 5k, more on that another time.  I told her that this half marathon was very walker friendly and she was pleasantly surprised to see that I was right!  Despite walking the entire race, we were constantly passing other walkers and also being passed by faster walkers.  The original forecast was not looking good going into the weekend, but the weather ended up being very pleasant for our long walk and I've included a few photos from the course below.

This was the 10th year for the MO' Cowbell Marathon weekend and my 5th MO' Cowbell half marathon.  I also ran the 5k two years back when the 5k was also on Sunday, and then I volunteered instead of running for a couple years as well.  I've been involved in this race in some way since 2013 and I just love it!  This year, I volunteered at bib pick up at the expo on Friday and at the post-race food tent for the 5k on Saturday night and I included a few photos from those volunteer shifts below.

I just can't say enough good things about this race and if you haven't run with us yet, go ahead and flip to the first weekend in October of 2022 and plan to make the trip to St. Charles for one or two of the races.  I hope to see you there!