April Fool’s Day Fool’s Challenge 7K & Half Marathon

I ran 17.45 miles this weekend.

Technically it was a run/walk but still, I can’t believe it !  I’m not even that sore surprisingly.  But more on that later…

This weekend, I ran the Atlantic City April Fool’s Day Fool’s Challenge which consisted of a 7K on Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday.  There was also the option to do the Jester’s Challenge which was an 11K and the half marathon.  I’m not that crazy.

It started out with quick packet pick up at Resorts Casino on Friday night.  Parking was free at the Taj Mahal all weekend which was right next door.  There wasn’t really an expo for this race but I wasn’t expecting one so it was a quick stop.  They had the bibs separated by race/event.  I had to pick up for 4 people including myself and it was super fast and easy.  I was out of there in no time!

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Saturday’s races started at 9AM and was out and back on the Atlantic City boardwalk, starting in front of Resorts and running South.  A friend of mine, Emily, ran with me.  She wasn’t supposed to do the half marathon but another friend back out and she decided to do that too.  I hope she isn’t regretting it now!

Since this race is so festive, we decided to make tutus for the event.  We looked pretty fab even though we ran short on tulle.  We only wore them for the 7K because they didn’t say put when jogging but they still looked great!

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The weather was absolutely perfect this past weekend: sunny, 60º, and barely a breeze.  The 7K actually didn’t go that well overall.  I was pretty worried about running on Sunday.  The entire 7K, my legs felt stiff and cramped.  My calves were on fire.  I wasn’t sure if it hurt more to run or walk.  I took it easy and finished in 58 minutes.  Rob also ran with us before going to his rugby game that afternoon.  He is a machine!

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Sunday, we got up bright and early to make the 8AM start time.  It is a super short ride to Atlantic City from my house though so we got there with plenty of time to spare.  Emily and I were both a little nervous and we lined up pretty close to the front so we would have the full 4 hours of the time limit to finish, just in case.  This race is pretty small so there are no corrals and even if you are slower, there is plenty of room for faster runners to go by.

Another great thing about running in Atlantic City is that it is flat flat flat.

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The race was out and back again (unlike the Atlantic City Half Marathon in October) and was mostly boardwalk with some road running in the middle.  Once you get back to the boardwalk though, the rest of the world has gotten out of bed and it was a little crowded.  Most people didn’t know a race was going on and would walk right in front of you!

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You can see for miles!  Literally.

The half marathon actually went better for me than the 7K.   While I was sore and tired, I didn’t have pain like I did the day before.  I had worn my compression sleeves all day Saturday so I wonder if that helped?  I also think running the 7K helped get the kinks out and loosen my legs up for the big day.

So really, considering that I didn’t train whatsoever for this race, it wasn’t a bad one to just run on a whim!  It is flat, the boardwalk cushions your impact, and the weather was gorgeous.  Emily stuck with me the entire race and we ended up finishing in 3 hours and 12 minutes.

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We got extra bling for doing the challenge!

I would never recommend anyone to not train for a race or run a race on a whim.  I knew I could at least walk this race with all the walking I do at school all week.  My body is used to moving long distances so I was pretty confident going in that I could at least finish.

Now I need to start thinking about how I want to prepare for the Broad Street Run in 3 weeks.  It is a little too late to seriously train but I can squeeze 2 long runs in and a few weekly runs before then!  This race got me back in the mood though and I am excited for my next run.  Now if grad school would just give me a few hours per week to log some miles!

Have you ever dressed in costume for a fun run?

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