One of the benefits of the Toledo Roadrunners club for our family is the cheap club runs they put on. I do love going to the larger races, but a race can quickly add up to $100+ for us. We really have to pick and choose which ones we all run. One of the annual events is a 5K called the Frantic Finish, which is followed by dinner. We’ve attended this event for several years now. For $5 a person, it’s a great deal for a family of runners!!
The concept for this race is that it works opposite of a traditional race. They start the clock counting down from an hour (59, 58, 57…) and when the time comes that it would take you to complete a 5K, you start the race. Theoretically everyone would cross the finish line together. Can you picture all of us fighting to cross the finish line together?? It actually never quite works out that way, but it’s a great concept.
You are supposed to run at your best 5K pace for the last year, but we just wanted to take it easy, so we picked a pace that would be a conversational pace. Sydney wanted to race and left around 26 mins. Alan and I started just under 28 mins, and Zachary left around 30 mins. Sydney finished in front of us, faster than the time she picked.
Here’s the fun part – I swear we were not looking at our watches, and as we approached the finish line, the clock was counting down from 5 seconds! We crossed the finish line about 4 seconds over our predicted time. Dang!! That’s the closest I have ever come to guessing my finish time. (Hey JP, is that you finishing with us??)
After the race we had the meeting portion of the night along with dinner. Dinner was the most awesome lasagne, pizza, breadsticks, cookies and some salad. Oh, and beer. We also all got a pair of TRRC socks. Love those socks!
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Q: At what race entry fee do you typically “think twice” about? Do you typically register early to get the best rate?
For me, any 5K over $20 is a “thinker”. We usually register early, but now with all of our injuries lately I’m starting to wait a bit before I sign up early!!
Q: What’s your favorite salad dressing?
I actually like almost any kind! Mostly reds lately – French, Catalina…
Q: Do you think you could predict your 5K race time pretty accurately?
Some of the race fees are crazy! $25 for a 5k and factoring in 4 people means it would be $100 just for the family to run 3.1 miles. I do love the dirt cheap (and sometimes free) races the TRRC puts on. Great organization for the running family.
We do have great running club here! I will proudly wear their socks 🙂
I’ve not run this one. Love the concept. Kinda like the prediction run they do around thanksgiving.
The price for me depends on the race and if a charity is involved. I keep my recipes for all charity races and deduct from my taxes.
Oh, Blue cheese BTW
Oh yes, we run the Turkey Trot prediction run too! So how does that work with the charity deduction? Is it the full race amount, or do you have to research it and calculate something?
You always run the coolest races! I love that concept! And way to predict your time!
I was shocked how close in time we were! I’m glad the family enjoys doing these together.
I use to register right away to get the best price, but, it seems like more often than not, that strategy backfired when I would get injured and then have to miss the race. Lately, I have been waiting to just before the last price increase before jumping in. I wish more races would allow transfers like Marine Corps does. I usually go for either balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette, but the older I get, the less my stomach likes salad. The only 5K I run during the year is the Boston 5K and I have no idea what I am going to do from year to year.
I used to wonder why more people didn’t sign up early and wait until the last minute… sadly, now I know!! That is a nice plus when they let you transfer.
Ive stopped signing up for races early! Im glad because even when I think I am ready to race again I quickly change my mind. I would be willing to pay a little more for a race due to signing up at the last minute if I knew it was definitely something I could run.
‘Tis me. I was a couple seconds shy of my best 5k time of the last year. bummed I didn’t beat it.
That’s really good for not wearing a watch! (you didn’t, did you?? 😉 )
I did wear a watch, but that is legal in this race – it turned out to be a common misconception that it was a prediction run.
The original concept is that everyone starts at a different time as a handicap and then the first person across the line is the actual winner of the handicapped race.
No matter which way you treated it, it was fun!
Ah, this is true! I don’t remember seeing a restriction about watches. Good tip for next time!