Boordy Vineyards Trail 5k Race Recap

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Sunday night hubby and I ran the Boordy Vineyards Trail Run 5k. It was our first night race (yes, we've run the Harrisburg Mile, but this was a distance race). We chose to pick up our packets at the race rather than drive into MD early to get them. So, we headed to Hydes, MD about 3:45 p.m. to make sure we got there before the 5:30 p.m. arrival requirement and with plenty of time to park the car, get our bibs, and make it back to the start line.

We arrived with plenty of time, probably about an hour. LOL! We parked and headed over the main buildings to pick up our packet. It was a little chaotic, but we found our numbers (700 & 701), grabbed our bags which included a shirt and a Boordy Vineyards glass, then headed back to the car to get ready.

This is what our car faced. How pretty is that? We got our bibs on and took our obligatory self-portrait.

We had to wait a bit for the start, which totally not their fault, it was ours for overestimating how long it would take for us to get there. LOL! We did line up about 10 minutes before the race and went towards the back. I needed that but, hubby decided to stick with me due to his lack of running this summer and his injuries.

Just as we were wondering what time we were going to get started (6:00 p.m. start time), we actually started. It may have been 6:01 p.m. according to our watch, but really not bad for getting started on time. We ran through the start and onto the winery grounds.

We ran around this area of grapes, then hit the road. I was a little surprised as I thought it was a trail run, but in reality we ran less than a mile on the winery grounds total (about .4 miles at the start, then the same .4 miles on the way back). We hit the road in front of the winery and hit the hills. Ugh. So not a hill girl.

I'll be honest, the hills did me in. I did more walking than I wanted to. I'm not going to complain too much, I haven't run more than 2 miles in 2 months. How can I bitch that I should have run more of the race? I was really glad hubby decided to run with me. It was nice to have someone to be with. We were at the end of the pack, but we did have a good time chatting and running.

Here are some photos from along the course:

Hello hills

Look! A good race photo!

Yea...we would have been arrested for not coming CLOSE to the speed limit!

Oh look, more hills

Up hill to the end. Why are all races this way?

The finish line is within sight!

We crossed the finish line and headed to get our timing chips removed when hubby realized he never put his on. It was not intentional. He made fun of me putting mine on, somehow he just forgot to do the same. Oops! It's ok. We finished so slow that it wasn't worth the timing chip. LOL! Both of our Garmins said 42:29, but officially I came in (and unofficially so did he) at 42:27.

We grabbed a water each, then back to the car to grab our wine glasses and hubby changed shirts. We grabbed his unused timing chip so he didn't get charged for losing it. Once that was returned we headed off for after run food and wine. We arrived back to the winery buildings and had no idea where to go or what to do. There were no signs or volunteers. You couldn't see where post-race food was or where the wine would be. We got in a line that led into the barn, but had no idea what the line was for - food, wine, unrelated? The line was so slow too! Too many people in too small a space. Once we were inside, it turned out to be food. There were vegetables, crackers, bread rounds, red and green grapes, and cheese. The problem was that the runners who finished first took huge amounts of cheese and there was very little left by the time the slow runners got to the end. By the time we got there, we were told we could only have 2 pieces of cheese so everyone could get some. Ugh.

Once we got our food, we moved onto wine. We had no idea what we were to do, but went over to the sign that said wine tasting. Hubby changed his shirt after the race, but didn't bring is bib. When we got to the tasting, they said he couldn't do one without the bib. Huh? So, he went back to get it. That was a bit frustrating, especially when someone asked if their friend could get a sample and the same guy who refused my husband said he could get a small plastic cup for free. We eventually tasted about 6 wines, but if we wanted a glass, we had to buy a bottle. So, we bought a bottle of their blush wine to have with our snacks. We found a spot on the stone wall and sat.

The wine was tasty and one we could agree on. The food was yummy and now makes me want a meal of cheese, crackers, and grapes. LOL! We listened to the band, which was pretty good. They did offer a larger BBQ meal we could purchase, but by the time we finished, got through the food line and did the wine thing, we were ready to head back.

On the way home, we saw the most beautiful sunset. Honestly. It was the best one we have seen since the ones we saw in Negril, Jamaica, which has some of the most incredible sunsets in the world.

Straight out of camera from my point and shoot. Seriously. Did NOTHING to enhance it.

So, while I had a good time with the race because I got to share it with hubby I'm not sure this the overall experience was that great. It was a tad frustrating at times. But, it really was a fun time with Brian.

What did I learn from this race? A couple things actually.

1. I learned I need to lose weight. This was the first race that I really felt the pounds I've gained. Maybe it was the hills, maybe it's because I haven't run in ages. I don't know, but whatever it was, I knew I would have felt better, maybe even run faster if I weighed less. I'm not saying this as a pity thing. I'm saying this as a fact thing. Just a strong realization.

2. I hate hills. Seriously. What did the race teach me? I need to incorporate hills into my training. Now, sure, I haven't run in two months, so I'm sure that had something to do with it, but the last few races with hills have messed with me. I know as much as I don't like them, I need them. So, this running season, I will actually focus a bit more on hills.

I will say I want to know what's up with the shirts this year at races? I haven't gained or lost that much this year, I gained it all last year. The first races of the year, the shirts fit fine. Since June, every shirt I have picked up is WAY too small. I even upped the size the BWC shirt and it's still too tight. I know that girl shirts are fitted, but what the heck is going on with them being cut 2 sizes smaller than what the size should be? I know as I lose weight the shirts will fit better, but the fact that I can't wear them NOW when I ran the race is disappointing.

Overall, there were really good things about this race, things I loved. On the other hand, there were things that I really didn't like. It's kinda strange at how there was no middle ground - I either loved aspects or hated aspects. I'm not sure I would do this one again, but I'm glad I did get the chance to run it this time around.

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Boordy Vineyards Trail 5k

Tonight, hubby and I are running our first night race at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland. I've wanted to run this race for the last several years, but every time I went to sign up it was sold out. Apparently, it's a popular race!

This year I registered us as soon as I saw it posted. It just sounds like a fun race! There will be cheese, crackers, wine, and live music at the finish and I'm sure the scenery is going to be gorgeous! I've been looking forward to this all summer.

It does mean the end of my running vacation is upon me. I could go another week after this til Labor Day weekend, but what's the point? I'll have run twice this week, so why not just ease back in with another run or two this coming week?

I'll be posting a recap of the race this week and I'll take the camera along for photos. Hopefully it will be a good race and I'll be proud of my finish.


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Sasquatch Trail Run 5k

 

Saturday hubby and I headed out to the Sasquatch Trail Run 5k to benefit the Farm and Natural Lands Trust of York County.  I saw this race in the June edition of Runner's World as the "Best Sasquatch Race" and with it being in the next town over from mine, I decided we had to run it.  :-)

It was great to get up at a reasonable hour to run a race.  Most local races are kinda boring and we have to go to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Virginia Beach, etc. to find good ones.  To find one so close to home?  Awesome!

The race was held on property that is part of the Farm and Natural Land Preservation Trust, which means it's actually private property.  Thank you to the family that opened their property to the race because it was fun!  We pulled in to park and this is what we saw

Yup, cornstalks.  Not your typical race.  We got there early enough to grab our race packet and put everything in the car.  Then we had to wait.  LOL!  But, it wasn't all boring

York Revolution's DownTown came to cheer us on.  Of course, he kept trying to move the start line back.  Ummmm...no DownTown!  He put it back...thankfully.

Us with DownTown

The race started at 9:00 a.m. and the temperature was actually pretty nice.  There was a nice breeze, which I know they didn't control, but it was still nice.  Rumor had it there were over 300 runners.  Yea!  A chance I won't be last!

At the back of the pack...waiting for the start

Some races start with a starting gun, a siren, or just a simple "Ready, set, go!"  But not here.  Oh no.  We start with a cannon.  Yup, Cannonball Charlie from the York Revolution sent us off.  They said if you couldn't figure out the start, then that's your problem.  LOL!

Cannonball Charlie with his cannon

We were told to go straight, then turn left.  From there, follow the volunteers or signs.  Honestly, they did an awesome job with course management.  There were lots of volunteers and plenty of signs where there wasn't volunteers.  We all could easily have wandered off course without them, so great job on keeping it a 5k!

Signage for the race.  This is what you would see if there weren't volunteers.

An email from the race organizers warned us it would be hilly.  And they were right!  The first two miles were basically uphill.  Fun.  I'm not a huge fan of on-going hills.  So, we walked most of the uphills and ran the flats and downhills.  This could be why we were about 250 out of the 270 people who raced.  Hubby could have finished earlier, but he said he would run it with me no matter how slow I was.  And he did.

 Of course, for a race named for Sasquatch there had better been one!  And there were two!  Earlier we had been warned they may be mating on the course.  Ummm...Thankfully, they were not.  They weren't even close to one another.

 

In true Sasquatch photo fashion, the photos are blurry...

We were or at least I was happy to see the finish line since I wasn't prepared (my own fault) for the hills.  The whole race was on grass "trails," but the last .1 mile was on concrete to the finish.  The legs weren't prepared for that.  I wanted to stop, but Brian kept running and I didn't want to stop that close to the finish line.

 And then to the post-race party with beer, apples, and bluegrass.  It was a fun post-race party.  Got to try a new type of apple which may just be my new favorite!

 

It was a lot of fun actually.  Well worth the hilly race!  A nice fellow racer took our photo post-race.

And here are some photos of the farm the race was held on.  Such a pretty venue for a race!

Glad Runner's World featured this race in June's edition.  I hadn't heard of it around here and wouldn't have known about it otherwise.  It was a fabulous race and highly recommend it next year!