Last Saturday morning, I laced up my running shoes and headed over to Lake Eola to run in the Best Damn Race Orlando 10k. I wore my Hoka Stinson Tarmacs for this one (hoping maybe they would make me speedy lol) and a navy blue Skirt Sports ensemble. If nothing else, I looked good! 🙂
The Best Damn Race is a new series of races which began in February at Safety Harbor. The race offers a half marathon, 10k, 5k, and a challenge of both 10k & 5k distances. Really, there seems to be something for everyone with those choices. When registration first opened for BDR, it was a “first-come, first-serve” discount system for the first 100 runners. It was a registration blitz all starting at a low price of $1. They did offer discounts for runners from 101-500 though as well, just at a lesser discount.
When I got in during the registration blitz, I had hoped to get into the half marathon for $35 or less, but since I seemed to be over that number (site told me I was 101st), I opted to run the 10k for $20 (as it turned out, I was really #43rd registered, but it worked out well for me since I had Excalibur 10-miler the following day). It was definitely a system that got a lot of local runners, a number I’m friends with to sign up for the race weekend.
I picked up my packet the evening prior downtown and checked out the vendors they had on-site (which would also be there race morning), before heading home. The 10k was the first race of the day, taking place at 6:45am. I arrived downtown to park about an hour prior to that. I was pretty fortunate in locating a parking spot about a 5 or so minute walk away from the runner’s area and start. Walking in, I met up with some familiar faces who were also running the 10k.
Around 6:45am, the race got going. I crossed the starting line about two minutes later, so things were off to a great start. Even though I had run the two weekends prior, I had still hoped I might get a PR time on this race. The only other 10k I had run was the Winter Park Road Race, so it was nice to run another race at that distance. After the half marathon, I’d say that the 10k is my favorite distance to race.
I felt pretty good as we ran along the streets of downtown Orlando. Of course, there was the ever-present not-so-fun uneven bricks, but having run Winter Park regularly and experience running other races in downtown, it wasn’t a surprise. I was a bit tired, but my fellow Galloway runners kept me motivated and moving. I love my group, they really are great. We talked, laughed and just kept moving.
There were plenty of water stops along the course too, which was impressive. For a 6.2 mile course, they had a water stop at about every mile. Definitely a nice perk and makes runners happy! The volunteers out there working the stops were great too, very friendly and quick at hand-offs. The Autism Society of Greater Orlando was the charity for the race, and the volunteers from that group were awesome.
I crossed the finish line in 1:17:58, which was a 10k PR for me by 29 seconds! I was definitely happy with my time and enjoyed the race experience. I will run the 10k again next year if it returns, maybe even the 10k/5k challenge. It’s a nice change of pace from the half marathons I enjoy doing. 🙂
Sounds like a fun race! I love the name! Congrats on your new PR!
Congrats on the PR! Sounds like a really fun race!
Thanks Amber! It was a great one. 🙂
Thanks Jen! I will be doing it in 2015!