Lucky Charm 10k 2018 (Weekly Wrap-up Edition)

I really don't have a weekly wrap as I have been having issues with my knee on and off and I'm trying to get it to be totally off.  I might add in biking or swimming next week instead of running.  We will see.  Instead I thought I'd share my recap of the Lucky Charm 10k from back in March.  I wrote this recap once a few weeks ago and it go lost in the netherworld.  I know this won't be as good as the original, but here is my second take.


St. Patrick's Day weekend I went up to Pennsylvania to visit my friend Meranda.  We had decided to run the Lucky Charm 10k in Harrisburg.  We got to the race early as we needed to pick up our bibs.  Bib pickup was very easy.  We even saw Ana there with her son, volunteering.  Meranda's mom came with us to watch, so we were able to give her our shirts, and other things, to hold while we ran.

We finished getting ready for the race and used the port-a-potties.  It turned out that someone left a sub sandwich in one of the urinals of the port-a-potties.  Very random.


Apparently there was an announcer but we couldn't hear him at all, but it sounded like the race was about to start.  We made our way to the start and quickly we were on our way.  We headed down the street and I was doing my walk/run.  A lady came up behind me and asked what intervals I was doing.  I told her 30/30 and she asked if she could stick with me since she forgot her timer.

We turned a corner and ran towards the capital and then away from it.  We ran towards the river and turned and ran next to it.  What a nice view to run with.  My new running partner's name was Josllyn and she's a parole officer in Harrisburg.  It was great to have someone to run with who wasn't always two steps ahead of me because I was slower.


We came to the 5k turnaround, and since Josllyn was running the 5k, we parted ways.  I noticed that most of the people that were slower like me were turning around at the 5k.  There really was only a couple people behind me that was doing the 10k.


Since I stuck with Josllyn for the first couple of miles, we took things slow.  This gave me a chance to try and do a negative split.  I decided to keep my eye on the person ahead of me and make it my goal to pass them.


I was really getting thirsty and I didn't see any water stops.  I should have carried a water bottle with me, but I didn't want to wear my race belt.  We turned off the river and headed back into the city.  I noticed a water stop, but they were all focused on the people on the other side who were heading back to the finish line.  I had to yell at a volunteer to turn around and hand me water.

All of the volunteers and police who were stopping traffic were super nice.  Most of the roads were still open as we were running by a church and museum that were still open.  Thankfully there was rarely a car.

As I headed to the turn around, I passed a dad pushing a stroller and carrying his daughter.  We chatted for a second and he said that she just didn't want to stay in the stroller.  I thought just pushing a stroller would be hard, but having to carry the baby as well impressed me.


As I headed back to the river, I kept picking people off, one by one.  I kept up my walk/runs, and just looked to passing the one person in front of me.


I was looking forward to the water stop that I had passed as I was very thirsty again.  And when I came up to it, it was gone?!?!  I know that I was at the very end of the pack, but really, they should have stayed out till we all passed.

We turned and ran next to the river again.  It really was a very pretty sight.  I did see someone handing out water.  I don't remember that water stop there on the way up, but glad we finally got a second station.  But really there should have been more then 2 stops for a 10k.

We passed the start line, which was a few blocks up, and continued on next to the water.  The course continued down the bike path right next to the river.  It was nice, but I was ready for the race to be over.  I still had a few people in front of me that I kept my eye on.


While running, I stepped wrong and hyper-extended my knee.  OMG did it hurt!  I decided to walk the next few run intervals.  That seemed to help and work out whatever I did.  Thank goodness it wasn't bad.

We came to the path to take us back up to the street.  I knew that once we went down, we would have to go back up.  It was a tight turn and a steep hill.  I decided to walk it and make sure I stepped carefully not to hurt my knee again.


Once back at street level, we were to run down the sidewalk to where the police officer was stopping traffic for the runners.  There were two ladies in front of me who wanted to cut the corner and ran in front of traffic.  No one around could believe they did that, they could have been hit by a car.  I went down to the crosswalk and the officer stopped traffic for me.

I decided that I would pass these two ladies.  It was my goal to end the race in front of them. We had 3-4 blocks to go to get to the street where the finish line was and it was all up hill.  I concentrated on getting up that hill.  As I did, I saw Josllyn heading down to the parking lot.  It was so fun seeing her as I headed to the finish line.

At the top of the hill I had passed one of the ladies.  Just one more to go.  We turned the corner and the finish line was right there.  I turned it into high gear and passed her and I kept booking it to the finish line.  I passed probably 10-12 people for the last 4 miles and no one passed me.  I was so proud of the race.  After the first 2 miles each mile was faster then the last.  It was a great negative split for me.


I was so happy to be done, but couldn't wait to get water.  I as so thirsty.  I finally found the table where they were handing out green bagels and Lucky Charm cereal.  But the water they had were little cups and a water jug to fill the cups.  I stood there and drank a glass and refilled, drank a glass and refilled, drank a glass and refilled.  I couldn't believe they didn't have bottles to take with us so that we could re-hydrate.

I found Meranda and her mom.  Once the race was finished, there was to be a St. Patrick's Day parade.  We found a place to sit on some bleachers that a bar had put out.  I went to change my clothes and find some place to buy water and a coffee for Meranda's mom.  The only coffee I could find was iced coffee and it tasted like grounds.  And I got another cup of water, though this one was a little bigger then the dixie cups that were at the end of the race.


The parade was a lot of fun.  There were bag pipers, rescue dogs, Storm Troopers, Gaelic Dancers, a DeLorean, fire trucks, floats, tractors, and a band.


We headed back to the cars as the parade came to an end and parted ways.  It was a very fun weekend and I really did like the race.  Except for the lack of water and being so far from home, I would do it again.

Do you like to stay after the race and enjoy the after party.  Do you like watching parades?

I am linking up with Holly and Wendy for their Weekly Wrap!