Elk Grove Run 4 Hunger Race Report – Bryan Gray

Race: Elk Grove Run 4 Hunger

Runner: Bryan Gray

Race Date: 07/04/2022

Location: Elk Grove, CA

Results: https://www.athlinks.com/event/145499/results/Event/1023567/Course/2267142/Division/1956252/Results

Strava Activity Link: https://strava.app.link/15rVePIHorb

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. Pretty race there were pancakes. Post race there were pancakes, donuts, bananas, granola bars, and candy.
  2. The course was flat so it made it pretty quick
  3. The majority of the course was on streets so it was wide. Easy to pass

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

  1. The start was a little narrow for the first quarter mile and you were at the whims of the people who thought they could run a 6 minute average even though they probably never ran a 6:00 mile.
  2. The 5k and 10k started simultaneously, and had the same end gate, so 10k runners were tripping over 5k walkers coming into the finish. This could have been prevented by separating left for 5k walkers, right for 10k runners in the last quarter mile.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

Nothing stood out as weird.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I set a PR even though I didn’t eat right before the race, didn’t sleep well, and didn’t hydrate enough before the start.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Very few people run sub 8:00 pace, so if you’re pretty quick, go to the front. Otherwise you’ll be dodging people pretty early.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

The wind is usually worse in the 2nd half. Be prepared for it.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

Pay attention to temperature and wind direction.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

City streets. No view at all

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

Not at all. Completely flat.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

It was very well organized

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Good field for a local charity run. Not worth traveling for, but the high school cross country team will give you a run for your money.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

No logistics needed. It’s a local fun run. Anyone’s welcome

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

Only water. Only 1 on the 5k.

Weather and typical race conditions

Normally it’s pretty toasty bit it was 68 today. Very strange July weather

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?

No

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes

How’s the Swag?

Shirt is standard cotton. Nice medal. Age group winners get an acrylic plaque. The food is the real reward.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 – if you’re local and looking for something to do in the morning, or need a tuneup 5 or 10k, go for it, but don’t bother traveling for it.