This past weekend, I participated in run #3 of the season…only 8 more to go to reach my goal!

This was the “Run Like A Mother – 4 Mile” race in Cedar Falls.  It was put on by IWF (Iowa Women’s Foundation), so it benefited a great cause. 

Postives:

• The run started at 9AM, which was so nice for those of us that had to travel to get to the race…nothing worse than having to be at a race at 6:30AM. 
• Registration was very smooth.  I had pre-registered, which always helps, but the check-in was very smooth. 
• The t-shirts were rather basic, but nice.  The cool thing was that you could pick between a white or gray t-shirt when you registered.  I chose grey.

• The start time was spot-on!  9AM sharp!
• The path was paved and scenic
• The post-race refreshments were AWESOME!  There was glasses of water, lemonade, coffee, bananas, oranges, apples, and PANERA BAGELS!  The bagels….they were so divine!
• Free popcorn…you could take home free popcorn and you could choose between microwave or traditional. 

Negatives:

• Only one bathroom….I don’t mean only one bathroom building, I mean only one toilet for a couple hundred women, NOT COOL!
• Crowded…while the trail was scenic and paved, it was crowded because there was almost 400 people trying to run on a paved trail that was only wide enough for 4 adults.  It was very hard to get through and around the crowds and get a good pace set.  They would have been better off if they had started the runners in waves according to pace time. 
• The start….it was odd, I didn’t even really know that we had started (I couldn’t hear a gun or anything) until the people in front of me started moving. 
• Not chipped timed.  I know that smaller runs aren’t chipped time, but the longer I race the more I see the importance of having the race chipped time.  There was about a 45 second difference between the clock time and my time (hit my watch when I crossed the start line).  As a runner, those 45 seconds are BIG! 

Overall, the run was good, nothing spectacular, but good!  I don’t know if I’ll do it again, but its been added to my race list!