New perk! Get after it with local recommendations just for you. Discover nearby events, routes out your door, and hidden gems when you sign up for the Local Running Drop.
Until this week, I had never raced while on vacation. Sure, I’ve done destination races, but I’ve never made the effort to compete in a local race while traveling (for work or play).
It sounds like a good idea in theory, but that little “You’re on vacation, girl!” voice always wins out, and invariably I talk myself out of it. But I want to sleep in, but I want to order the crème brulee, but I want to have a second mojito—you get the picture.
Recently, I was in my hometown in Massachusetts for a friend’s wedding. The evening before the rehearsal dinner, I had every intention of relaxing on the couch. I saw a sign for a nighttime 5k nearby, and considered it, but wavered until the last moment. Half an hour before the race, I was sitting alone in my parents’ house when I decided, “What the heck.” I didn’t have a car, so I jogged the two miles over to the start, paid the five-dollar entry fee and lined up.
I didn’t have high expectations of my fitness level, but once the gun went off I was ready to go. After a quick start I found my groove. Before I knew it, I was at the head of the pack, and by the third mile I was the first woman—second overall—and stayed in that position until the finish. It was a small race, but still—so cool!
Even better, I met an old cross country friend who I hadn’t seen in over a decade, and the race finished at a lake that I ran by literally hundreds of times growing up. The experience brought back warm memories.
I jogged home satisfied and inspired. The race had made me feel connected to my hometown in a way that I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was definitely more memorable than a night at home on the couch—even sweeter than crème brulee.