I let him pick which one he would prefer to run and he chose the Grape Day 5k. This community race is one of my favorites precisely because it is so community oriented. Cheerleaders from neighborhood high schools cheer on the course, residents come out and man self-made water stations, or just cheer from their front yard. It's got a real small town feel to it.
This year the course changed slightly, starting and finishing at the community park. Thatboy loved this, because it meant they were closer to a coffee shop for Thatbaby and him to grab breakfast, but also because Thatbaby could play on the playground while they waited for us to finish.
Leftover from SeaWheeze, my Nike+ App was still in kilometers. This seemed to be really great for Thatkid who appreciated hearing an update every few minutes as to how he was doing, instead of waiting for the mile markers.
The new course still had some killer hills. That kid and I decided that we'd run the flat portions of the course, jog down the hills, but walk up the hills.
In addition to the water stations, the volunteers had set up spray blaster stations at the top of hills - with either water or colored chalk.
The new course seemed easier than the old one, and before long I was texting Thatboy that we were almost at the finish.
Of course, as soon as he saw the finish line, Thatkid took off like a rocket, and Thatboy JUST missed him finishing!
Thatkid and I do a lot of races together, and the Grape Day 5k is always the beginning of nonstop racing for the two of us for the end of the year. We love it so much.
Love your run strategy! He did great!!
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