We got there early, and crashed the volunteers. We took a quick picture of them, grabbed our packets, went to find bathrooms and put our packets in the car.
Here are the volunteers. I realized later, we didn't get everyone in the picture. There were a lot of volunteers at this event.
Here is V all ready to run (this was before the rain started)
Then we had to apply a tattoo...
Not too much later, the sky opened up and we were getting wet. It wasn't too bad for the most part, but we were chilly. I debated on going back to the car and getting our sweatshirts, but I am glad I didn't, we would have been too hot.
Then we were off, the views were amazing, there was at least one lake, maybe it was connected, I think I ran over 3 bridges, the course was rolling, nothing too steep. It was an amazing course. The signs were clear too, so it would have been really hard to get lost.
About a mile or so in, V took off. I was seeing him run with a woman, and he was chatting it up. I couldn't keep up, but I could see him from time to time. (More on her later)
So finally one of the volunteers told me not too much further.
I came around the corner to see Maggie from http://www.magmilerunner.com/ (so thankful that the volunteers were willing to watch for him) carry V over to the other side of the finish line, where he cheered for me to "keep going and don't give up"
I love this picture. This was taken and posted on runforboston5k facebook page, for us to use as we want. Talk about nice!
I am sure you would like to see how V finished... ;)
He does look tired.
So after I finished, we got some food. They had pizza and beer, not to mention all kinds of other things. Pizza and beer is my kind of food, if all 5ks would have pizza and beer, you can bet I would be at more of them.
So I was asking V while he was eating his pizza who the woman was he ran with. He didn't know. I looked around for her and couldn't find her. Some people were standing near us, and overheard us talking and asked me what she was wearing and I said a white running skirt. I joked that she might have been an angel. V said she wasn't an angel and then the strangers we were talking to said, there she is.
So I went over to thank her for running with V. She came over and I got a picture of the two of them.

Then she started telling me how she was doing one race for each of the Sandyhook kids. And today she picked the runforboston5k for Chase, a little boy whose dream was to run the Boston Marathon. She said V inspired her and he looks a bit like Chase.
Then she was asking me if I knew if she could get another shirt to send to Chase's family. I told her we would ask Kelly who blogs at http://www.kellytheculinarian.com/ and was one of the people who organized this race. When Kelly heard her story, she didn't hesitate, she took her own shirt off and handed it to her to give to Chase's family.
I wanted to cry at the generosity, but I was to be in a photo for the Chicago Runner Bloggers.
I was finally able to meet more of bloggers I stalk. :)
So my take away...a very well organized race! This was my very first MuddyMonk race, and I would do it again.
There was plenty of parking, the directions were great. The venue was beautiful. Clean bathrooms with running water. Great fuel at the end (aka pizza and beer). Official photos posted on their facebook page.
I am sure I am leaving some stuff out, but it was so well done.
Now you can find V like this
We have a party to be at later, so this is good.
Local bloggers, what was your favorite part? If you were a volunteer, thank you.
Did you race today? If so, how far did you go?
Have you ever gotten pizza and beer at the end of a race? I think it was the best pizza I have eaten in some time.












