The same day that the Race Ambassadors for the Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon were announced, Runner’s World published an article about Stellar St. Patrick’s Day Runs – and one of my hometown favorites, the BARC St. Patrick’s Day Races, was featured! This year I was chosen as a Brand Ambassador for the title sponsor of the St. Pat’s Races, Catholic Federal Credit Union. It has been an awesome year so far representing some of my favorite races.
Race weekend started with my friend Paula arriving on Friday. We headed out to Runners to get new shoes for her and eat some pizza at G’s Pizzeria. The next day we went to the race expo and saw a lot of my local running friends, representing different causes and races, and some even working the expo. We were dressed in our St. Patrick’s Day green! After the expo we stopped at City Market in Bay City for some Heidi’s Darn Good Cookies – YUM! Our pre-race dinner was some delicious BBQ from the Makin’ Bacon food truck at Logger’s Brewing Company.
Sunday morning we woke up to a beautiful sunny day, a perfect day for racing! The temperature was just right for the outfit I had planned to run in – always a good feeling. My husband’s friend Mark met us at our house and we all drove out to Bay City together to get the party started. Mark, Ken and I were all running the Irish Double so we got ready for the 8k. Paula was running the 5k only since she had signed up after the Irish Double was filled and it was her first race back since spraining her ankle back in November. I think I was more excited for her to run this race than I was to run it myself! Paula wished us luck and then headed back to her car to keep warm while we ran the 8k.
My friend Jenny and I ran the 8k with Ken. We did run/walk intervals – one minute running, one minute walking. We took it nice and easy, which was absolutely fine with me, considering I’m training for a marathon and have no need to break any records! Plus I enjoy running with my hubby more than running without him. We saw our friends kicking some serious butt in the out & back portion of the race! Our friend Nick ended up finishing 9th overall and our friend Maggie was the female winner! We got to see all of the My Team Triumph captains and their angels running an awesome race. Overall, the race was really enjoyable. Other than the mile long finish – I swear every year that finish line gets further and further away!
Once we finished the 8k, I went to get Paula and then met up with my fellow Brand Ambassadors for a photo op. FSARC (the local running group that I am part of) also got together for a picture. And then it was the game of find everyone you’re running with before the 5k started. Ken decided to stick with his friend Mark for the 5k and Jenny and I ran with Paula. We did run/walk intervals (2 minutes running, 1 minute walking) for the race and it was great! Paula felt really good getting back out and racing, and Jenny and I were able to take it easy after running the 8k already. Mostly we enjoyed each other’s company and seeing all of the other runners’ festive outfits and costumes.
Overall, the whole weekend was a blast! It was so much fun getting to see so many of my running friends all in one place, especially those that I don’t get to see very often. I was so proud of Ken and Mark for doing their first Irish Double and so excited for Paula to have her comeback race! The whole experience was nothing but positive and that’s why I just love the Bay Area Runners Club St. Patrick’s Day Races.
RD on the Run 