Haunted Rhodes

I always have fun at the Rhodes Race at the Haunted Castle, which happens right around Halloween.
This year, I ran it with my friend Donna and ran into three other members of the Tucker Running Club.

Me with human and puppy running friends

 The race is at Rhodes Hall in Atlanta, the former home of the founder of Rhodes furniture. The home is ornate, and is one of the last of the old Atlanta homes still standing. Most along Peachtree were torn down for more modern things.

Rhodes Hall in the background

Donna, me and Lisa

Me and Donna

Almost set to start

 The race runs around Ansley Park and its neighborhood and some homes really go all out for Halloween. The home below had a sea dragon, a pirate ship and lots of blue sharks.

All decorated for Halloween

I had a pretty good race and it was fun to see folks dressing up themselves and their dogs and children for the race. I wore my Harley Quinn cape, but I need to step up my game and make a real running costume to go with it. Next year!

10 not so perfect miles

Firs the first time in several years, I ran the PNC Atlanta 10 Miler on a weekend that was NOT after a half marathon!
So, yay for that. This year, it will act as my "long run" prior to a half I have planned Nov. 18. Due to some travel to other states right before the half,  I won't get in proper half marathon training.
It's OK. I actually did better in this 10 miler than I expected for someone who is now a proud member of the turtle squad.
The day was cold and windy. Really it was the fall we should have been having for weeks before. It seems like we went straight from summer to winter this year and I didn't get to wear some of my fall running gear!
I met up early with the Tucker Running Club for a pre-race photo. I'm over second from the right.

TRC is in the house!

 I didn't take a single photo along the course, which was a shame. The course isn't too bad. Lots of hills, but then, this is Atlanta. Far hillier than you think it will be. I averaged a 14 MM, and at times I was doing 11 MM, but then I had to walk some of the hills, so that ruined the good time! No worries. I got to the finish with 300 people still behind me.

I finished!

Finisher's medal

Better than I expected.

So, it wasn't a perfect 10 for me, but that's OK. I finished and I'll be ready for my half marathon in just a few weeks!

Time to Run Like Hell

One of my favorite races was this past weekend, the Run Like Hell 5K, held in the Historic Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.
It's where golfer Bobby Jones is buried, and "Gone With the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell, too. It also is the final resting place of Atlanta slaves, Confederate soldiers, Jews, Catholics and a host of others. I have never done the tour, but I'd like to.
I feel like I always take my own little tour the day of the race since I get there pretty early and then wander around. Here's some of what I found:

The statue shows the women holding books.

The Confederate soldier portion of the cemetery

Me in front of the sleeping lion monument

The sleeping lion is a monument to Confederate soldiers

The State Capitol building during the race

Headed back into the cemetery and nearing the finish

One of my favorite markers: Count None But Sunny Hours

The gravesite of the original namesake of Atlanta: Marthasville

I didn't have any friends run this one with  me this year, but it was still fun, until the very end.  I got back  to my car and a parking ticket! Grrr. Thanks Atlanta PD. There was a row of cars of runners and we all had parking tickets. Guess the city needed to make a parking ticket quota that week!

Next year I'll have to pay more attention to parking, or else Run Like Hell to keep from getting a ticket!

Rising up to run like MADD

Ran one of my favorite summer races Saturday, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium 5K/Walk Like MADD.
This race, sponsored by the Atlanta Track Club, used to be called the Rise Up and Run 5K and finishes on the 50 yard line of the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It used to finish in the Georgia Dome, so I'm glad I've been able to run the race in both sports venues!
I ran the race with Leah from Decatur Moms Run This Town and she was great at keeping me going when I was wanting to walk it out. She kept me at a good pace and we finished with a little kick left.
Sarah and her husband Brent were at the race, too.

Early to rise up and run!

I got there really early, and the lights were on the stadium. Got a great photo!

Sarah, Brent and Leah

Me, Sarah and Leah

Freddie the Falcon at the start

Finishers!

Finished on the 50!

What a fun morning. We got a nice finisher's medal, too. That's always fun. I'll be ready to rise up and run this one again next year.

Running the Relay

Earlier this year I joined the Decatur Mom's Run This Town running group and several of us formed teams to do the ATL Relay 20K.
We have five four-woman teams represented this year! It was an early start since I had to take MARTA to get to the race start. Parking was so limited, MARTA was the way to go.
I was on the Mombies team and I ran the first leg, which was supposed to be a 5K, but because I was the first leg, mine was actually slightly longer than the other three legs. I was so happy I ran it around 42 minutes! That's much faster than I have been running 5Ks this year.
My teammates were Leah, Lee and Tanya.

Look how many of us ran the relay!

The Mombies team

All smiles

Leah coming into the finish with the entire DMRTT crew

Finisher's medal

Lindy and Frank finishing

 Frank, Lindy and Liz from the Tucker Running Club were there, too, only those three ran the entire 20K by themselves! No thank you! I caught Lindy and Frank crossing the finish line. I didn't catch  up with Liz until the finish.

Me and Liz

It was a fun morning and race. I may do it again next year. I just will be sure to run leg 2 or 3. Ha ha!

Running with the Finest

Running this summer in Atlanta just seems to have been hotter than ever, so the Atlanta's Finest 5K was just as steamy as it has been in the past.
But it's always a great race put on by the Atlanta Track Club.
This year, I ran the race with Latitia, Rhonda and Cassandra, who kept all of us completely on track with her 1-1 intervals! Cassandra rocked! By the time I got to the finish I had a bit left in the tank and was able to sprint across the finish line. That hasn't happened in a while!

Latitia, me, Rhonda and Cassandra

Ready to run!

 After the race, I ran into Judy and Lindy from the Atlanta Track Club. We even had one of Atlanta's Finest photo bomb us! LOL

Judy, Lindy and me

I didn't quite outrun the police this year. The cadets that run in formation passed me about mile 2. But that's OK. It was still a great day to run with Atlanta's finest.

I'm a Skirt Sports Ambassador!

I am thrilled to announce I'm a brand ambassador for Skirt Sports, a woman-owned running apparel company that I've been wearing for years.
I've applied for the program for several years and this year was my lucky year.
As ambassador, I'll be posting to social media and blogging about where me and my Skirt Sports skirts go (two more states to come this year!).
It's been fun to connect with other Skirt Sports ambassadors already and learn more about them and why they run.
As these photos show, I've been converted to skirt for years now, thanks to my friend Erin, who introduced me to the product (and she is a former ambassador as well).

What I love about all of these photos is the places these skirts have been and the people who have been with me! These photos saw the skirt (and me) in Connecticut, Alaska, South Dakota, Delaware, Colorado, Washington, Kentucky, just to name a few. And look at all the friends that have been there with me! Most of the photos were taken at races right here in Atlanta, but still. The fun I've had over the years running with friends in town and out of state.
I'm excited to spread my love of running and running skirts!