The Running Obstetrician

DEVIL MADE ME DO IT 10K 2015

October 25, 2015, GLASTONBURY, CT.

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     Imagine a fun, Halloween-themed race through the streets and parks of a quant New England town where the leaves are falling and the racers are all dressed up in costumes. Well, that's The Devil Made Me Do It 5K and 10K for sure. It's actually run as a 6.66 miler, and the not-so-devilish 3.33 miler - which is what you actually run.

     I first ran this race probably 3 years ago as my first race to get be me back into the running mix. At the time I ran the 5K, but this race I decided to give the 10K a try. With 67 finishers in the 5K and 78 finishers in the 10K, it's a simple little race that really lets you get our there and get a good run and time in.

     The race course takes you through some of the quiet neighborhoods near the school. The 5K is quite quick, and for the most part is a flat run. The 10K adds on a few streets, and puts in this killer hill. It was early enough into the run that I took it head on, and it really is true that you feel great when you sprint up one of these big hills in the middle of a race.

     Returning to the Middle School, the 10K course takes a sharp left and you run down one of the beautiful walking trails of Addison Park. This part of the course is hilly itself, and it is an out-and-back so you end up knowing how much hill you are going to have to run to get to the finish. The last mile was hilly, but I actually miscalculated an extra hill, and before I knew it I was sprinting past the finish line.

     The run itself is a great way to get excited for Halloween. I will definitely be bringing the kids next year. There are some snacks and awards at the end, but it's all low key enough that really it is a race mostly about getting out there and meeting some of the local running community.

     To that end I met a very interesting woman at the start of the race, who ended up winning in her age group for the 5K! We got to chatting before the race, and she had told me that she had just finished a painting that her husband didn't care for, and this had her all fired up to run in the race. She asked if I would take a look after the race, and see what I thought. I said sure, and off we went.

     She ended up finding me shortly after crossing the finish line, and we took a walk over to her car, where she showed me the paining in question. It was great. After telling her how I liked the painting very much, she told me I had to have it. It was the perfect early fall painting for a beautiful fall run, and I was happy to accept. The painting now has a happy home in my home office, and what a cool and interesting thing to happen at an early morning race.

     So this just goes to show that you never know what great experiences await you if you get yourself out and on the streets. You end up meeting some great people at these road races, and sometimes you come home with some great memories beyond the run and the race time. Until the next race...

CMM, The Running Obstetrician, October 2015