Oh those low-key charity races!

So, I ran the Shrimp Scamper 5K today.
It was a 5K just a mile from my house and one of those low-key charity races. I've run these before and you'd think I would have learned my lesson.
The course was not well marked and very disorganized. It was supposed to be 3 1-mile loops. Except a lot of folks on the 5K race kept missing one of the crazy loops in the neighborhoods to make it a 5K. I stayed true to the course, until I realized the course was longer than a 5K, so on my last loop I skipped the final crazy loop everyone else had been skipping all along.
As I was running, I was thinking how I never learn my lesson with these races. These fly-by-night organizations that don't have the skill or manpower to put on a good race. I've read great articles in Runner's World warning about these races.
Yet here I was on a course of the "second annual" race.
And I came in first in my age group.
So, that is kind of the great part of these little half-assed organized races. I can actually win in my age group in my slow running way.

Won in my age group!

 OK, here is my confession. I was the ONLY one in my age group. Well, there was a master's division and someone won a very nice pint glass. I have no idea how old the master's winner was. It wasn't me. And there were no other winners in the women's division 50-54. So here I am with my medal!

Yep, I won!

So, beware of small charity races. You just might scamper along and win in your age group, despite poorly marked courses. :D