2015 CAC Glow Run for Children

        This entry is more of a memory for me because this Run was the first 5K that I did in the dark and it was actually fun. I actually ran it on Friday night (April 17th) but I'm just now getting the chance to write about it. I enjoyed every minute of it even though I was in pain afterwards and didn't get a very good time for me. I've had better times but it just shows that I am getting older and need to practice running every other day. I can't get out there and just do a 5K anymore. I was so out of shape during this one.
         It was a race for abused children. Something that is very close to my heart. The company that put it on was one that a friend of mine works for and I've heard a lot about at my job. The company even helps some of my children. You might be asking what is a Glow Run. I will tell you. It was a nightly event started about 5:00 in the evening. They had everything to children's run to the 5K. Just like any race event would have. They also had little game and food booths to do before and after you got done walking or racing. All that only cost $25 to get to run in the 5K and it goes lower if you just want to walk or do run a littler race like $20, $15, and maybe even $10 but don't take my word on that. It is called the Glow Run because it is at night and you get to dress up glowing from head to toe. You could wear anything from glow paint on skin and/or skirt to those glowing necklaces and bracelets that you can buy. A lot of people were dressed up in bright neon clothes too. It was all about raising awareness for abused children.
         The 5K race started at 7:45 pm and was the last race of the event. This 5K was probably the best 5K I have ran yet event wise not time wise. It started to get dark when the race started and it was really dark when it ended and that wasn't the best part about the race. Some people might think I have gone crazy but if you know me you would totally understand me. It did started to lighting before we started but the lighting was far away. It started to rain in the middle of the 5K. First, it started to sprinkle just a bit and then a normal coming down rain shower. Then just as I finished it started to pour down. It was amazing! All through the race I could see the lighting flash in front of me. It was pick and purplish color. To say the least, I was not hot at all during the race and it just felt so great.
          Of course, knowing me, my favorite time to run anytime is in the rain. It is just the coolest time to run and you don't have to worry about anything. I would get so excited when it would rain for a race in high school because it means I could only go faster in a way but I was in shape back then. I did have to stop some times to get breathing again but my time was pretty good for not running for a long time. I wasn't happy with it but it was good. It was 37:37, which means I ran 12:08/M.
         Like I said not my best but I was so out of shape. My best is usually a 29:40 to 32:00 depending on the kind of track being ran on. I can run a 10:00-11:00/M if I was in shape. My placement in each of the groups weren't bad either. I was about half and half in all of them. It did show me though that if I want to keep doing 5Ks in my 30s, I need to run every other day to get prepared for them. I'm getting to old to go and just run them without preparing if I want to keep my old time.
          I keep reminding myself though that it was for a good cause and I'm helping out some of my children that I work with everyday by running this 5K. I'm pretty sure this is a 5K that I will try to do every year from now on. It is different and for a very good cause. Next year I am going to go all out in the neon colored clothing. I did paint a white shirt with glow in the dark paint and wore those glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets but next year I'm going all out. To run for children, you have to dress like children. :) I encourage everyone to look into it and do it. Support abused children and the CAC of Benton County.