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Lansdowne YMCA's Reindeer Run - race #12

     Running with Santas and elves was a great way to finish my 5K races for the year.  I ran in my fourth Reindeer 5K Fun Run on Dec. 3 at the Lansdowne YMCA.  Compared to the chilly weather when I ran in the first Reindeer Run in all my winter gear, it wasn't too cold this year with temperatures in the 40s with cloudy skies.  After picking Kevin up at 7:15 a.m. (on a Saturday morning!) we headed over to the Y and we're ready to race.  (See video and photos of the race at http://tinyurl.com/cqk8xbr).
      In previous years, one side of Lansdowne Ave. would temporarily be closed and the runners would line up there.  This year, one minute we were in the parking lot and the next I heard "go" and off we raced at 8 a.m. down the sidewalk along Lansdowne Ave.  Turning left onto E. Marshall Road, we then headed up a slight hill on Lincoln Ave and towards Archbishop Prendergast High School.  The weaving course took us to Garrett Road and the trolley tracks, down to Wayne Ave., back up Congress and then again on Garrett.  Race directors made the route easy for us to navigate our way through the quiet streets, and Kev's siblings Kathy and Mike greeted us several times along the way.
     After turning right onto a trail, we headed down Clearbrook Ave. and on to the Beverly Hills Recreational Area.  Some off-road running was in store and I was so happy it wasn't muddy as we headed towards the baseball field and through a tight squeeze behind the backstop.  Before we got back onto to Marshall Road, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that instead of running around a low-lying chain gate, Kev hurdled over it!  That's when I knew for sure he felt good and I really wanted us to finish with a faster time then last year, when he ran his first ever 5K.
     After weaving down two more streets, we turned back onto Lansdowne Ave. and towards the finish line.  I tried to keep up with Kev, who did an awesome job, as we race down the street and I clocked in with a time of 28:19 (two seconds behind Kev).  I felt all Christmasy afterwards and proud of completing my 12th and final race of the year.  It's been a lot of fun, met some really great people, received so much support from family and friends and have pushed myself to be a better runner and a healthier person.  Merry Christmas!

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 1, 2012 at 7:32 AM

    Hope you check out the Pickle Runs in Ridley Creek State Park this winter, they are fun. I will probably run some trail runs in Reading too.
    My husband will be attempting 100 miles again this July at the 20 in 24 in Philly in July and he is Boston bound in April

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