Loony Challenge

I signed up for the Loony Challenge months ago, when I was skeptical of my interest in running a second marathon this year (Fargo Marathon was a tough cookie back in May) and I thought the 19.3 mile, dual day challenge would be a worthy second best option.  Fast forward to September and my first home purchase and training took a definite backseat.  And by “backseat,” I mean far flung trailer hitched flatbed with wobbly wheels.

 

My own lackadaisical training notwithstanding, the race series was a hoot! I’d never done the 10K, 5K, or 10Mile, so all three were a new experience for me.  Having done the Twin Cities Marathon three times, I was anxious to try out the other races and get a bit of the marathon mojo without losing the requisite toenails.

 

The series began with the back-to-back 10K and 5K in St. Paul. I arrived early enough to get street parking ($15 in the Sears lot seemed mighty steep to me) and then wandered for a bit in my sweats before dropping them off at the ridiculously well-organized sweats check. They had plenty of people volunteering and the folks were super helpful in answering my questions.  I even had plenty of time between the 10K and 5K to drop off my gloves and medal in the checked bag.

 

On the subject of medals, personally, I don’t need 4 medals. The Loony is spendy, justified, I’m sure, because you get 4 medals and 4 shirts (3 each from the specific races and the 4^th for the Loony series).  I would have loved a cheaper option that just gave me the Loony series shirt and medal. I’m a bit overwhelmed by shirts and medals, and it just feels wasteful to me sometimes to keep piling them on. How great would it be to have the option to donate shirts/medals at the race site? Or, pay the full price but have the race donate the proceeds directed to your shirt/medal to a charity? I just don’t need all the “stuff” at every race, and the Loony felt overwhelming in the swag category.

 

But swag craziness aside, the races themselves are lovely and so well organized.  The out-and-back format typically isn’t my favorite, but Summit is such a pretty street and that glorious jog to the finish with the Cathedral to your left and the flag flying before you is second-to-none as far as finishes go. So the Loony was a cool way to experience a great finish three times.

The chill on Sunday made me sorely miss the Metrodome. The huddled mass in the bus shelter pictured in this post clearly shows I wasn't the only one. But chilly starts are par for the course in fall races. The Metrodome coddled us a bit but I doubt anyone would complain much about the weekend weather, once we got moving it was perfect.

 

It’s easy to see why the 10 mile is a favorite for so many people.  You get some of the best parts of the marathon rolled into a shorter, sweeter race. I didn’t expect to see so many spectators for the 10 mile, so that was a welcome surprise, too. The plethora of smiling volunteers, water stops, and exuberant bystanders with silly signs ("Never Trust a Fart.") reminded me for the millionth time why the Twin Cities are such a fantastic place to run. A high five-giving, grinning policeman at the Lexington and Summit intersection was especially inspiring (read: he was hot)!

I thought I would be a bit sad not to be running the full marathon this past weekend, but the Loony was such a fun experience, I never felt down. If anything, it made me excited to sign up again for the full next year, and to talk everyone I know into doing one of the many options the weekend makes available.