Skip to main content

It's a Wonderful Run 5K in Seneca Falls

There were Christmas trees, angels, Santas & leg lamps costume-wearing runners during the 10th annual It's a Wonderful Run 5K on Dec. 8 in Seneca Falls, N.Y.

The run, which benefits local charities, was just part of a fun-filled weekend during the annual "It's a Wonderful Life Festival" from Dec. 6-9. For avid fans of the movie classic, like Kevin, Michael & I, it was a great way to experience the movie in the town many believe was the inspiration for Bedford Falls in the holiday classic.


Upstate New York in December is cold, and trying to stay warm outside as you and 5,000 other runners wait for a 5K to start was definitely painful. After picking up our bibs the night before, we arrived the day of at about 3 p.m. for the 4:40 p.m. start. I've never seen so many people waiting to run a 5K! We weren't allowed in the Seneca Falls Community Center, so we crammed into a small heated tent to stay warm. Around 4:20 we squeezed through the 10-minute mile group and checked out all the festive costumes. Soon, we handed our coats to Michael, who graciously held onto them during the race, and we shuffled slowly to the start.

Standing on the Bridge Street Bridge, with snow softly falling, I felt like Clarence was going to walk by any second. Unfortunately, that serene feeling was quickly replaced by aggravation for the first mile as we had to dodge & weave around participants who walked the race. If you don't like crowds, then this is definitely not your 5K. Hopefully, race organizers will be able to enforce walkers to start behind the runners; it makes for a safer race for everyone.


Finally the runners began to spread out, which was a welcome relief because I wanted to run faster and try to get feeling back in my toes. It was amazing to see so many residents standing near bonfires on their front lawns, holding beverages & cheering on the runners. It was such a party atmosphere. As I high-fived another race supporter, I spotted a runner dressed as Santa who was pushing a sled on wheels that was attached by nine people dressed as reindeers. That was the best group costume.

Reaching mile two, we were mindful of some icy spots as well as a few potholes on the mostly flat road course. Passing Mynderse Academy High School, another group of residents was boisterously handing out shots of Fireball! While we passed on the first generous group handing out shots, this time I thought "it's freezing, a shot will warm us up & it's the holiday season!" The cinnamon whiskey did the trick; my first and most likely only time mixing drinking and running.

Soon we turned right on State Street and passed the beautiful Victorian homes lit for Christmas. Heading right onto Fall Street we screamed, "Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan," as we passed the lighted storefronts and shops of downtown Seneca Falls. In the shadow of the Bridge Street Bridge we crossed the crowded finish line with a time of 37:44.

Grading on the route, ease and cost of registration (which was $35), T-shirt appeal (which was huge for a large) and overall fun factor I give this race four-and-a-half sneakers out of five.
Labels:
Location: Seneca Falls, NY 13148, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kevin Cain Make My Day 5K in Havertown - race #1

      My goal is to run a 5K race each weekend in Delaware County (and one 10-miler in Philadelphia) for the next six weeks.  They're fun, a goal I can work toward each week & they're almost all in a five-mile radius of my house.  The races are usually $20, I get a T-shirt I can brag about & the money raised always go to a good cause.  Back in 2008, my New Year's resolution was to run a 5K, and since then I've done 14 races.  That year I started with the Kevin Cain Make My Day 5K in Havertown.  (See photos & video of the race at http://tinyurl.com/6kfhcyb ).       Being in good shape, I thought I could translate my swimmer's endurance from the pool to the pavement.  It was a little bit tougher than that, and the Kevin Cain race is one of the more challenging 5K routes I've done.  After taking off from it last year, I was back to race it last Sunday, April 3.  It's a huge party, with a DJ pumping up the crowd beforehand and supporters line the ro
1 comment
Read more

Forty Foot in Dublin Bay, Ireland

I love to mix a race with a vacation.  When I ran a half-marathon in Arizona for my 40th birthday, we stayed for few days longer & visited the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Navajo National Monument, Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend.  Running & swimming are such great ways to experience a new environment. So when Kevin & I were planning our long-planned vacation to Ireland, I tried to find out if there were any open water swim races and/or groups I could join for a quick dip. I learned about the Dunmurry Dippers , a group that swims everyday at the Colin River in Northern Ireland, & the Walrus Winter Swimming Group , who jump into the Dublin Bay at Forty Foot. Logistically we could not meet up with the Dippers, so we set our sights on the Walruses. After picking up our rental car, which Kevin did an amazing job driving on the left side of the road, we headed to Forty Foot  at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove.  If you don't have a car, Forty Foot is a
Post a Comment
Read more

Swimming on in honor of Coach Rick Field

I thought of swimming as a solitary activity. The rhythmic breathing, 18-20 strokes to the wall, flip turn, repeat, blocking out all sound and sights and just following the black line. Other than being a part of my high school swim team, which I had joined because my friend Tara encouraged me, I’ve been swimming laps by myself for more than 20 years.  Coach Rick I was in the pool at Rocky Run Y several years ago, when Rick Field walked over and told me my right hand was entering the water too far to the side. I had met Rick in 2011, when he first started as a swim coach and teacher at the Y. I didn’t know what to make of him at first, he seemed loud and maybe a bit pushy, but he grew on me and I saw how much he cared for his swimmers to succeed. The Cedar Island 5K So in November 2019, after many years of asking me to join his swim workouts, I broke away from the solitary swim life to be part of a team again. Every Sunday from 7-8:30 a.m., our swim group would try our best following
Post a Comment
Read more