Stanly County - Fellowship of the Idiots Run - January 28, 2012

Chad beat me to Stanly County in 2007, way back at the beginning of the countdown, but I finally made it the far exurbs of Charlotte for the Fellowship of the Idiots Run. Back in the early 2000s, a group of runners included in their marathon training a run from the Albemarle YMCA to the top of Morrow Mountain and back, a 19.7-mile journey. When their friends heard of the training run, they were quickly dubbed "idiots," the runners liked the name, and a tradition was born. Since that initial Idiot Run, twice a year (before the Myrtle Beach Marathon and the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon) the training run is reprised, and those who finish the run are welcomed into the Fellowship of the Idiots with a t-shirt, a finisher's certificate, and their name on a commemorative plaque at Vac-and-Dash, the local running store (and the best combination vacuum cleaner / running store / UPS shipping emporium in the area).

The Idiot Run starts at 5:30 a.m. so that runners will hopefully get to see the sunrise from Morrow Mountain as part of the run, so it makes for a very early morning to get to the Albemarle YMCA and get checked in before the race. We were blessed with a very mild set of temperatures for the end of January -- cool, but not as frigid as you might expect, with clear skies and no precipitation. Peter Asciutto, the owner of Vac and Dash and keeper of the Idiots, did a great job getting registration done, organizing the runners into the street, and even arranging for an Albemarle police cruiser to escort the runners out of town. Peter said that there were seventy-something first-time Idiots, plus a good forty-something returning Idiots who were there to enjoy the early-morning run with the rookies. (Under the leadership of Peter and Vac and Dash, Stanly County actually has a very active and large running community.) It was great to see all the runners dressed in their reflective best -- I was in my coveted NCRC reflective running vest -- and the light being reflected from all the headlights and car lights as the runners took off in the early morning darkness for Morrow Mountain.

The first three or four miles start out through residential areas of Albemarle and continue out onto the main drag through down and finally out onto one of the main roads leading out of town. (One of the traditions is to run through the drive-up ATM at the CVS so they can use the security video to confirm who ran and who didn't.) We made a turn onto the approach road for Morrow Mountain State Park, made some basic climbs up and down the hills, and then about a 10k into the run we started up the mountain itself. As the skies got a little bit lighter, we could see more and more of the surrounding landscapes and pick out the mountaintops against the brightening horizon. Surprisingly, the group I was running with didn't see any of the local wildlife, but we could hear various noises coming from the woods around us, plus lots of local dogs started by the early morning activity coming through their neighborhoods.

I paused for a picture at the welcome sign for the park, but then I was focused on getting to the top of the mountain. There were some brief downhills and level stretches, but the majority of the next miles felt like all uphill to the final turn and the parking lot at the top of the mountain, were there was an aid station set up and a couple of volunteers making pictures of the runners as we took a brief break for pictures and to enjoy the view from the top. After a few pictures and cups of water, though, it was time to run back to town. The downhills from the top were much more fun on the way down, but there were still enough rises to keep you paying attention and keep you from getting too relaxed.

I was in the last little knot of runners coming back, and it was obvious we were well behind the faster of the morning's runners. The aid stations were coming down after we passed, and one of the support vans was removing the directional signs once we had gone past them. But the weather conditions stayed really nice, so even with our plodding pace it was a great morning to be out enjoying the activity and knocking the miles out one by one. Finally it seemed like we were back in the Albemarle area, running past the big chicken statue on Main Street and back in the residential area around the YMCA.

The final approach to the YMCA was adjacent to a park, and you could see the faster runners, the remaining volunteers, and some Vac and Dash people lined up to welcome us back. A couple of final turns brought us to the finish line, and then Peter proudly presented us first-timers with our Fellowship of the Idiots shirts (which you hold upside down in the traditional photo). There were some great post-run snacks and drinks, plus the facilities of the YMCA to welcome us all back, plus many of the runners went to a local country-cookin' restaurant for a great big delicious breakfast.

I was curious how my Garmin data would show the run afterwards. According to it, the Idiot Run had almost 1,300 feet of elevation gain over the 19+ miles. (It felt like more.) But it really is a beautiful and scenic run, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the views of the valleys below the mountain and the lovely estates of the Albemarle area. And it gets lots of kudos for the great stewardship of Vac and Dash, who keep the informal, funky spirit of the original Idiots going without making it too formal of an event. I was very happy to complete my rookie Idiot Run and look forward to many more runs with the Fellowship!

2011 Year in Review

Well, it looks like we've exhausted all of our new-county opportunities for the remainder of this year, so it's time to take a look back at all of the new races and new faces we got to see over the last twelve months:

Chad's new counties in 2011 (8): Lenoir, Scotland, Ashe, Catawba, Haywood, Burke, Richmond, Craven
Brad's new counties in 2011 (12): Lenoir, Scotland, Union, Wilkes, Warren, Graham, Haywood, Burke, Johnston, Franklin, Martin, Pitt

Chad's total counties: 38
Brad's total counties: 54
Combined total counties: 65

Once again we've covered the state from end-to-end, from Ashe County and Graham County along the western frontier to Martin County and Pitt County along the sound to Scotland County along the southern border. We've had a really good time and have been blessed with good health and good travels along the way. We've met some really nice folks and run with some talented runners. We've been fortunate to have been joined by friends and family along the way, and it's been fun convincing them that we really are trying to cover the whole state by running in different counties. And it's been a very nice surprise to have some counties which previously did not host a race decide to add them in the continuing effort to spur children (and adults) to get interested in being active and exercising; that's been a great boost to our efforts both this year and in the look ahead to 2012.

We met a very enthusiastic nature center host (and a bear) in Lenoir County. Chad got frisked by the sheriff in Scotland County. Brad danced with a cow, a stormtrooper, and Michael Jackson in Union County. And we had an excellent run with friends at the return of a moonlight running classic in Haywood County.

We passed the 60-county mark last August and tacked on five more new counties before the end of the year, and hopefully another good year in 2012 will take us at least past the 75% mark, if not further. Thanks for all the patience and support from our families, and keep those cards and letters coming in! Hopefully soon you can see the Chad-and-Brad tour bus coming through your part of the state in 2012! Keep on runnin'!

Pitt County - Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-Miler - December 4, 2011

It was great to have running friends Gary and Rachel along for the trip that's likely to be the final new county of the year, Pitt County, as we prepped for the 7th annual Reindeer Dash for Cash 10-Miler in Greenville. There are 10-mile and 5k events in the Reindeer Dash for Cash, which is held annually in Greenville in memory of Captain Christopher S. Cash, a soldier from the area who loved Greenville and loved to run. Proceeds from the race benefit the Capt. Christopher Cash Memorial Foundation of NC, Inc., which awards annual scholarships in the memory of Capt. Cash. This is one of the biggest events in Pitt County, with over 800 participants in 2010 and more than 1,000 expected this year.

We were blessed with one of those wonderful-weather days in North Carolina, where December temperatures can reach into the high 60s. Shorts and tech shirts were plenty warm, as the sun beat down on us from an almost cloud-free sky. One of the most-frequently-heard topics of pre-race discussions was how much better this weather was than the previous year, when it was much colder and wetter. The race organizers mentioned during the pre-race announcements that it was the best weather they had ever had for the race, and Gary and Rachel, who had taken part in the 5k in previous years, agreed.

Everything was hopping in the building where packet pickup and race-day registration was taking place. The excellent weather was contributing to more walk-up registrations, and lots of people were milling about, waiting on restrooms, and coming and going from the park behind the building that faced the Tar River. Even with the warm weather, there were lots of folks wearing Christmas-themed costumes, from ladies with candy-cane-striped socks to lots of Santa and Rudolph hats to one sugar plum fairy, and even one guy running the 10-miler in a full, head-to-toe brown fur reindeer outfit. The announcements began ushering everyone out to the road where the start would take place, and the ECU Club Dance team performed for everyone and we got to hear from one of the Capt. Cash Scholarship recipients before we had a false start on the national anthem (all the runners joined in to finish it).

Right after that, we were off! Both running events started together, so there was lots of activity and jockeying for position as we climbed the little hill alongside the park. They did make an effort to get the runners to seed themselves with faster runners along the front, but even from my spot safe in the back of the pack, I had to do a lot of dodging as the folks in front of me broke out into walks or very slow jogs. A quick left turn and we were going right down one of the main streets of downtown Greenville, and we could do some quick window-shopping in the stores, many of which were already decorated for the holidays. Plenty of law enforcement from Greenville and Pitt County, along with some MPs recruited from Capt. Cash's regiment, were handling traffic control and keeping the runners safe. Another couple of turns and we were entering the ECU campus, where we got to view some of the administration buildings and maybe some of the dorms and fraternity or sorority houses. Lots of spectators were alongside the roads in the early miles, and it sounded like the majority of runners were definitely there for the 5k event. In keeping with the Reindeer theme, each mile marker (nine in all) had the name of a different reindeer on it, so that the 10-milers got to see hear all the names and keep that "Rudolph" song in our heads. We went through a few more neighborhoods in the campus area -- all the roads were nice and mercifully flat -- and quickly we were back in the start area, and the 5k runners were diverted onto a new road where they would re-enter the park and finish. The 10-milers, though, had to keep on going up the start hill again and off into the distance.

The remainder of the 10-miler was an out-and-back through what was mainly industrial areas of Greenville. We did pass close by the G-ville airport and had a quick view of a lake in a municipal office area, but in general it wasn't as scenic or interested (or spectator-populated) as the 5k route. Since it was mostly out-and-back, we did get a good view of the leaders as they headed back for the start area, and I was happy to see my friend Tim holding third place and Rachel running strong also. (Gary was running the 5k and turned out to finish fifth overall and first in his age group.) The volunteers manning the aid stations were very friendly and encouraging to all the runners, and the MPs at the intersections cheered a hearty "Hooah" for all of us, too. Some soldiers had left early doing the full 10-mile event in full uniform and pack, and we got to encourage those guys along as well. The return trip after the turnaround was mostly into the sun, and although I was very happy with the sunny, warm weather, I was really wanting to find some shade to run in and get a break from having the sun right in my face.

Finally we crossed back over the Tar River and got to go down the parkside hill for a change. Lots of runners who had finished the 5k and 10-miler earlier came out to cheer the slower runners, and finally we got diverted onto the same side street we had passed near the 5k finish. This road took us onto the back side of a wonderful pedestrian bridge that served as the start of the local greenway system and made a great finishing landmark for the races. It was decorated with flags and balloons, and you couldn't help but put on a final sprint as you dashed across the bridge to the finish line.

I knew I had been running very consistent and very fast miles with walk breaks only at the aid stations, and I knew my pace was going to have PR potential, but I was really tiring fast in the last mile, and even though I had fourteen minutes to finish that mile with a PR, I really wanted a walk break and the finish line! Fortunately my Garmin and the finish clock confirmed that I had done the 10-miler in 1:42:28, which was an improvement of more than 2.5 minutes since my PR at the Scotland County Foundation FUNd Run back in April. (Any more new counties have ten milers? They seem to agree with me!) So I was very happy overall with the race and how I had felt through most of it.

My other running friends did very well, too. Tim held on to finish third overall (second male), Gary won his age group, and Rachel had a new 10-mile PR as well. The post-race food and drink was excellent, with subs, donuts, pizza and G2, and there were lots of sponsor and race organizer booths ready to help you with anything you needed. The 10-mile finishers got dog-tag finisher medals, but Gary's age-group winner medal was the best one there! The race shirts were long-sleeved cotton and very comfy with a nice design, too. Overall, we really had a great time in Greenville at the Reindeer Dash for Cash. It's a wonderful event benefiting a really good foundation, and when you have weather like this in Decemeber, it's well worth the short ride out to Pitt County! You might even have a PR! Thanks for a great event!

Martin County - Martin County 5k Turkey Trot - November 19, 2011

For a while I was really concerned about whether we were going to be able to find a running event in Martin County, one of the "tough seven" counties to include in the countdown because of the lack of running events in the area. However, with building concerns about health and obesity, and because of some demonstrated economic development benefits, some locations are getting more interested in bringing running and walking events to their residents, and that's what happened in Martin County.

The Martin County 5k Turkey Trot is a new event that was organized by the Martin County Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Martin Community College and several other sponsors. The organizers mentioned they would really like to get more people to take part in the future, so hopefully their desire to make it an annual event will be fulfilled. However, they do need to get some assistance and expertise on their team to iron out some of the rough patches they experienced in their inaugural run.

Race morning was nice and clear and cool as we arrived on the Martin Community College in the morning, but with the race time scheduled for after 9:30 a.m., I knew we would have some time for the sun to break through the morning chill. And exactly what time was the race, anyway? The online registration form I had been using as my guide and the event management website where I registered said 9:30 a.m. But it was just after 9:00 a.m. when they called all the 5k runners over to the starting line for a course review and then started us off! Good thing I got there early and didn't go out for a warm-up run, or I would have missed the race!

Anyway, there were a good number of runners and walkers out for the event, which also included a 1-mile family fun walk (which was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. but started about 8:30 a.m. instead). There was lots of talk among the runners about race reviews for the Outer Banks Marathon and Half-Marathon which had taken place the previous weekend (glad to hear I wasn't the only one done in by the bridge at mile 10) and about a few upcoming races in Greenville, including the Dash for Cash 10-Miler in December. It is a very nice thing we've learned in the countdown that runners all over the state are very friendly and love to talk about running, the races they've done, and what they have planned, and the runners we met in Martin County were no different.

The Riverside High School band (home of the Knights) pepped up the crowd before the events and played the national anthem before the start of the 1-mile walk -- and then scattered! Yep, it was cold, but maybe they could have played something for the 5k start. Two wonderful ladies handled packet pickup -- with only 49 finishers they weren't overwhelmed with registrations -- and it turned out shirts were only ordered for the handful of folks who had pre-registered before the start of November, so the 1st annual Martin County 5k Turkey Trot shirt may turn out to be one of the more collectible ones due to its scarcity!

Once we got started running, the chill in the air didn't feel so bad. We made a quick loop around the main building of MCC and then headed out onto Kehukee Park Road. A bunch of horses in an adjoining pasture watched us and actually came on up to the corner as if they were intrigued by the two-footed racers that were in their area. We ran Kehukee Park Road from end to end and back, with deputies from the Martin County Sheriff's Office handling traffic control at each end (come on, guy, you can at least get out of the patrol car so the runners can thank you for your efforts without having to talk through your rolled-up window). The course was marvelously flat and the temps were still cool, so it was very, very nice running weather.

One the route back to Martin Community College, we detoured off Kehukee Park Road (actually, I just like saying, "Kehukee") and made a loop around the MCC horse arena. MCC must have a good equine program, because there is a large set of buildings around the arena dedicated to horses and their health and activity. The loop around the horse arena went by quick, and then we passed the 2-mile mark, with me still running pretty well and feeling good.

Back through the MCC parking lot we went -- and to the finish line? That seemed like an awfully quick last mile, and it wasn't even that. It will look in the records like I ran my first sub-20:00 5k in decades, but the course was very short -- we only ran about 2.2 miles in this 5k, according to my Garmin. Subsequent inspection of the map indicated that the course was probably going to be short anyway -- the finish line was right at the 3-mile sign -- but it appears that course monitors also directed us to the finish line too quickly, leaving out an intended 0ut-and-back to another adjoining road (eyeballing it still didn't look like it would have been enough to make a full 5k).

Still, though, everyone seemed to be having a good time, and while the runners stood around joking about all their new PRs (the winner clocked a sub-14:00 finish time), the joggers and walkers continued to finish to celebrations for getting out and being active, so I guess for its purpose, the event was still a success. Run the East was the race management company for this event, and they probably should have recognized the times were too fast, but RtE had a bunch of events that morning and Martin County probably didn't get the A-team. The folks putting on the race didn't appear to be very familiar with running events, and they may not have even known they had a short-course situation (they didn't mention it in the post-race comments and awards). Some of the local runners talked hopefully about the idea of moving the race to downtown Williamston in future years to take advantage of the historic area and more open areas, but I enjoyed seeing the horse farms and country roads this morning. There was a post-race spread of bottled water and bananas (but no trash cans?) and medallions for the overall and age-group winners. Unfortunately, with age-group spreads like 18-39 and 40-64, there were too many runners in each group to allow real age-group racing.

It was a lovely morning in Martin County for their inaugural Turkey Trot 5k, and I hope they will be able to bring out more runners and correct some of the problems they experienced in their first event. It is a lovely area, and with the flat elevations in this part of "down east" North Carolina, they should have the base to build up a great event in future years!

Franklin County - Grace Haven Baptist 5k Rock-n-Run - October 29, 2011

Well, we had a nice string of races with really nice weather, so I guess it was about time we got one that was colder and rainy. Actually, the nice folks at the 4th annual Grace Haven Baptist 5k Rock-n-Run told me that they've experienced cold and rain a couple of years in a row, so we probably should have expected that when we made the quick jump over the line to Franklinton in Franklin County.

Since Chad and I are both church-goers, it's nice when we can find a church-sponsored race with a good beneficiary and get a new county at the same time. The folks at Grace Haven Baptist in Franklinton established the 5k Rock-n-Run as a benefit for Safe Space, an organization working to prevent and end domestic violence. One organizer told me after the race that over the short life of the event, they had raised several thousand dollars toward this mission. With some more publicity about this race and the adjoining Fall Festival -- arts and crafts also put on by the church -- they should be able to increase their contributions even more.

Race check-in and the finish line were at the Grace Haven Baptist property outside of town, where they have built a very nice outdoor shelter with a big fireplace, restrooms and meeting area. The fireplace is a huge stone hearth that was roaring on race morning and became a very popular gathering place both before and after the race for all the runners looking to avoid the 40-degree morning temperatures. It was also interesting to look through all the arts-and-crafts booths being set up -- I was especially checking out the warm-looking quilts -- for the Fall Festival later that day. Finally they began shuttling the runners out to the starting line in several volunteers' vans.

The starting line was back in Franklinton at the Grace Haven Baptist Church itself, across from Franklinton High School. On the shuttle, the helpful volunteer pointed out the mile markers, the turns, and the volunteers that would be helping us know where to turn. At the church, to keep us out of the cold and rain, they had the pre-race announcements and a prayer inside the building where it was still nice and warm. And we got a nice surprise when we walked out for the race start that the rain had pretty much stopped! Just after they synched up with the finish line timer on the phone, they lined us up and sent us off.

As our shuttle driver had promised, the first couple of miles of the race were blessedly flat. They had made a few changes in the course from the previous year to hopefully give the runners a faster route to cover. There was a brief rise at about the 1-mile mark, but it was so gradual and not very different from the surrounding landscape, so it didn't really present much of an obstacle to the fast pace. The volunteers were very nice to point out the turns for us -- "a bunch of left turns, just like NASCAR," as the starter had joked -- and the pace was very quick as we took advantage of the level ground. The roads were not closed or tightly controlled for the race, so we had to watch out for the occasional car in the area, like the vehicles who turned onto the starting area just after the runners took off. But all intersections were monitored, either by race volunteers, Franklinton police officers, or Franklin County deputies. So we were pretty well taken care of, including a very welcome aid station about halfway into the race, at Franklinton Elementary School.

By the time we hit the 2-mile mark, we were definitely outside the main Franklinton area and back in the country. I could still see some the runners ahead of me, and that kept me pushing it along the way, hoping I could pass one or two before we finished (I didn't). We passed by the Triple R Horse Ranch, where there were some great big horses just standing around in the mist watching those poor humans who were out there having to do the running on this morning. With the pasture lands and a lake in the background, it was a very quiet, pristine scene -- just right for a quiet autumn Saturday morning in the North Carolina countryside.

For the runners, though, we had just about a mile left to go, and fortunately for us, it was pretty much downhill all the way. The grade increased a little bit, so we felt like picking the pace up a little bit, and the country road was straight enough that you could see runners ahead of you, and you could also get inspiration from being able to see the finish line turn well ahead of reaching it. I had been running what seemed like a good pace all the way, and I'm sure I picked it up some for the downhill as well, but I wasn't watching my Garmin all that closely. There was a brief rise as we approached the final turn, and then we were on a gravel road entering the church property headed towards the big shelter. We could see the timing tent ahead, and there were plenty of volunteers cheering us in, so I'm sure all the runners made a last burst for the finish line. After a small turn, we entered the finish chute and checked out the clock display -- and I was very pleasantly surprised to discover I had run my first sub-28:00 5k in many, many years! Maybe cold and rainy weather is good for me! (or maybe I just wanted to get out of the cold and back to the fireplace!)

Post-race, the volunteers had put together some fruit and granola snacks for the runners, plus some very welcome hot chocolate and coffee to take the chill off. Plus, they had the big fireplace burning even hotter to help us warm back up. Several of the runners, including many teens from the church youth group, mingled around to compare notes on the run, gauge who the age-group winners would be (not me), and compliment the fireplace. The event had drawn in some walkers from the church as well, so there was plenty of time to hang out while the organizers waited for everyone to finish the course and arrive back at the main shelter for awards.

I was very pleased with my sub-28:00 5k. I knew it had been more than a decade since I had pulled off a race like that, and I was surprised because it just came out of the blue, with no expectations or specialized training. I'm sure I was helped along by the cool weather to keep me from getting overheated and the downhill stretches of the last mile. But it really made me glad to have gotten out and gotten to a new, neighboring county on a morning when it would have been easy to stay indoors where it was nice and warm and dry. The Grace Haven Baptist 5k Rock-n-Run was a great little event, and hopefully more runners will venture out to Franklin County to experience their hospitality and fast little course themselves!

Craven County - Neuse River Bridge Run Half-Marathon - October 15, 2011

Chad - 2:38:13

Johnston County - Selma Railroad Run 5k - October 1, 2011

The town of Selma in Johnston County has a lot of heritage tied to the railroads, going back to its earliest days when lots were sold around a new station of the North Carolina Railroad. For the last 36 years, Selma has celebrated that railroad heritage with Selma Railroad Days, a fall weekend celebration with entertainment, food, arts and crafts -- and for the last 34 years, one of the area's longest-running 5k races, the Selma Railroad Run!

Chad beat me to Johnston County when he ran the Law Enforcement Torch Run 5k for Special Olympics a few years ago, but I was determined to get there on my own just for the Railroad Run. Because it's so close to home here in Raleigh, many of our running friends, including several elite-level runners (read Joey's report on the 2010 race), love the Railroad Run because the course is about as flat as it gets in the area, so it's a great course to hunt for a PR or to go all-out. Finally this year I was able to make the quick jump down highway 70 into Selma.

And I wasn't alone, either: lots of the Raleigh running elite had also made the trip out for the Railroad Run. David and Kimberlie were there, Gary and Rachel were there, Tom and Brandon and Jarett and Pauline and Rebekah and Zeph were all there! I joked that next year we should just rent the NCRC party bus and stock it up with Gatorade and Clif Bars to bring everyone down for the event.

Race morning itself was wonderfully clear and cool, another indication that this was likely to be a very fast race. Surprisingly, despite the longevity and good reputation of the race, it's usually a smaller-size race, and this year was no different, with only 127 finishers. Still, that made registration and packet pickup a breeze, plus the restroom and food lines were shorter. It was fun to see all the Raleigh elite runners arriving, stretching and warming up; you knew they were here to compete and that it was going to be a very fast morning indeed. The little bit of the course I got to jog in advance of the start confirmed everything I had heard about how flat the course is.

The race organizers ushered us out into the road and ran through a quick set of announcements and instructions. The law enforcement for Selma was out to keep the runners safe on the road as well. When the race started, all of the speedsters up front took off, and a very fast race was underway. Most of the course was out-and-back along a very level and very straight North Webb Street, but to bring the race up to the correct distance, we also did a quick loop through a neighborhood adjacent to Webb. Several of the folks along Webb and in the neighborhood were aware of the race -- it has been around for 34 years -- and were out to watch the runners come by and cheer them on. Other folks and drivers appeared to be surprised by the event but were looking on with interest.

From my spot safe in the back of the pack, I had a good view of a lot of the race as it played out. Since most of the course was out-and-back, as the leaders were headed back into Selma, I got a good measure of how big a lead Brandon and Kimberlie had (which they held through the finish), and it looked like Gary had a good hold on our age-group win (he did). It was very impressive and inspirational watching these elite runners focused on their performance and form, and it hearkened me back to the olden days when I might have actually been able to run with them for a short distance.

Friendly volunteers gave us water at the aid station, and I got a bit inspired myself when I was able to read the finish line timer displaying a time of 28 minutes and change. I hustled over the last stretch as best I could -- a woman runner and I had been exchanging encouragement over the last mile -- and burst across the finish line in 29:18, easily my fastest 5k of the year and probably one of my better ones over the last few years. I guess the hype about the flat, fast course is true!

There was a good spread of post-race food and fluids for the runners, and they were able to give out the overall awards pretty quickly, although a timing snafu prevented them from doing the age-group awards right away. But I enjoyed the time catching up with the other runners, hearing about their training and performance, and planning for that party bus next year! I really enjoyed the Selma Railroad Run 5k, and it's definitely one to include if you're looking for a fast course!