10K Archives - Run Oklahoma

All Posts, Find a Race 10K, 5k, Draper Lake, March, OKC Dogers, trail running

How to Add Variety to Your Spring Racing {Oklahoma City & Tulsa}

by Run Oklahoma March 2, 2017 No Comments

The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the full disclosure.

Did you ever play the driving game where you spot clouds that look like other things? Like you think a cloud looks like a horse and the person next to you thinks the same cloud looks like an elephant. While outside on a beautiful spring-like day I found a few bubbly clouds and started looking for ones that looked like animals. I spotted this cloud and to me it looks like a phoenix, rising from the ashes, renewed and regenerated. What do you see?

Did you ever play the driving game where you spot clouds that look like other things. Like you think a cloud looks like a horse and the person next to you thinks the same cloud looks like an elephant. While outside on this beautiful spring-like day I spotted this cloud. To me it looks like a phoenix, rising from the ashes, renewed and regenerated. What do you see? #myoklahoma #oklahoma #yourebeautiful #thephoenix #renewal #injured #oklahomaskies #runokc #runoklahoma

A post shared by R U N O K L A H O M A (@runoklahoma) on Feb 27, 2017 at 11:55am PST

The phoenix may be the best mythical representation of spring in Oklahoma; when all the dead, crunchy, brown trees and grass begin to regenerate and bloom. In the spirit of reinvention how about trying a race this spring that is outside the standard 5K races. This March consider trying one of these races that offers and uncommon distance or location.

TATUR Snake Run

This unique race will be a six-hour or three-hour timed run taking place on mostly flat, nearly rock and root free, single track trails on the western side of Turkey mountain. The run will start Saturday, March 18th at 9:00 am, and finish at 3:00 pm. The course will head northwest from the old upper parking lot following some of the trails used in the Turkey and Taturs race including of course the Snake Trail. You will run 3.75-mile loops. How many laps can you run in three or six hours? It’s up to you.

OKC Dodgers CommUNITY Run

Join the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation and the OKC Police Athletic League on March 25th for the OKC Dodgers CommUNITY Run. The one mile fun run and 5K will start at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark and have a unique finish on the field. A special kids run will take place on the field at the ballpark. This event offers food trucks, kids activities and visits with various non-profits and partners of the run. Following the run, all runners and spectators are encouraged to attend the third annual OKC Dodgers First Look Fan Fest, which will take place inside the ballpark and is free for all attendees.

Draper Dirtroads

Close out March with OK Runner on the Draper Lake trails. With a 10K or 10 mile option, this scenic, character-building course is a perfect way to prep for whatever other events you have planned for the spring! And besides, how can you beat at a $5.00 entry fee?

All Posts, Race Reviews 10K, 5k, ballpark, Bricktown, Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, half marathon, HITS, marathon, Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma River, Route 66 Marathon, Tulsa

HITS Running Festival Recap – OKC

by Run Oklahoma October 20, 2015 1 Comment

It’s been six long years since my last half marathon. That race was quite a humbling experience filled with IT Band issues and foot injuries. I was new to long distance running and thought the only training I needed to do was to run and still ate whatever I wanted. Since then I have moved to a different state, changed jobs, had four surgeries, and two kids. My biggest take away from my first half marathon and subsequent life changes is that taking good care of myself goes a long way in my training. So over the past few months, in addition to my runs I incorporated clean eating principles and strength training using The 21 Day Fix. The half marathon I ran this weekend was so vastly different than my last. I wasn’t plagued with injuries, I felt strong, and had a bond with the local running community. This was also my first race in my Oiselle singlet. It felt amazing getting to rock that thing, FINALLY! Considering I got a PR, this race gave me loads of confidence to continue training and striving towards my fitness and running goals.

This past weekend I ran in the HITS Running Festival in downtown Oklahoma City. I was hemming and hawing for months about whether or not to sign up. So the day before the scheduled event, I had the brilliant idea that it could serve as a good dress rehearsal for the upcoming Route 66 Half Marathon and decided to go ahead and sign up. Ultimately, I’m so glad I did. I have so many positives comments on this race.

Field Size – The number of runners was drastically lower than events like OKC Memorial or Route 66. So the start line wasn’t crowded. I was able to arrive 30 minutes before the start, get a nearby parking spot, and had plenty of room to warm up.
A Distance for Everyone – They really offered every distance from Marathon to 10K to 1 mile fun runs. I saw a lot of groups and families (mine included) with members each participating in races of various distances. Families could watch and cheer each other on throughout the morning because each race had a staggered star time. For example, the half started at 7am and I was done in time to see my husband start his 5K race at 10am.
The Course – Each race followed a flat and fast course along the manicured River Trails of the Oklahoma River. The flat course was appreciated. Also, not having to fight cars and traffic was great as well.
Refreshment on the Course – Each water aid table along the course was stocked full of water, gatorade, oranges, bananas, and mini candy bars. A varied and delicious selection.
Ballpark – Each race FINISHED inside Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. This was sooo much fun. It made it nice for spectators because they could lounge in the stands and watch for friends and family to enter the stadium and cross the finish line. For the runners, you can feel like a super star athlete when seeng yourself on the jumbotron in the stadium and the soft and well manicured track feels so good on tired feet at the end of a long race.
Treats After the Race – Lots and lots of donuts, bananas, oranges, grapes, bagels, coffee, and more. Super good snacks. I had a great time just snacking on treats and hanging in the stadium while waiting for friends and family to race.

Every race has some downsides and this one had only a few.

Smell – holy smokes y’all. You may be running on a well manicured path along the river but when you run by the stockyards the smell gets pretty rancid. It was a cool, windy morning and the smell was still pretty bad. And because it’s an out and back loop race you have to hit that smell a second time on your way back. phew!
Confusion at Starting Line – When you were finishing your race you basically crossed back over where the starting line to get into the stadium to finish your race. This was confusing for some marathon and half marathon runners finishing their race while the 5K, 10K, and mile racers were starting their races.
Not Enough Finisher Medals – They had many runners register last minute (like me) and therefore didn’t have enough finisher medals for everyone. It’s a bummer but it happens. They are ordering more and will be mailing them out to folks though.

In speaking with several other runners from the event, there seemed to be a consensus between our opinion of the race and how it was organized. Ultimately, it was a great race that was executed well. I would run this race again and encourage others to check it out next fall.

All Posts, Race Reviews #runokc, 10K, 5k, basketball, Featured, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Okstate, OSU, race report, remember the ten, runok, Stillwater

Remember the Ten Run Race Recap

by Run Oklahoma April 19, 2015 No Comments

On January 27, 2001, ten members of the Oklahoma State University basketball team perished in a plane crash. It was an tragic event that rocked the small university community as well as the entire state. On April 21st 2007, a race was organized for a community to come together and remember those that were lost.

Over the past nine years the event has grown to a field of over 1,200 participants with proceeds benefiting the OSU Counseling and the RT10 Scholarship Program. Remember the Ten Run is one of the few races in this state that openly benefits mental health services and discusses topics such as loss, sadness, and depression. Even though the overlying topics of the event are serious, the event itself is a great celebration of athletics and community.

In addition to the run, the day is filled with the spring football game and Stillwater Arts Festival. So there are plenty of attractions for the entire family. Besides, you can always stop by Eskimo Joe’s for an order of chili-cheese fries and hang with Joe and Buffy.

The race course winds in and out of Oklahoma State University campus, fraternity/sorority row, and surrounding business and houses. The first mile takes you west on Hall of Fame Ave. Because the 10K and 5K runners all start together it’s a big jumbled mess of different paces, walkers and runners. Once you curve on to Western road, it’s a nice down hill stretch. It’s a great point to pick up the pace because the 5K runners are starting to turn off on to their own course and the road opens up on the 10K course with fewer runners. Mile three takes you through a residential area with sporadic spectators comprised of college students, young families, and retirees out supporting the runners. I happily accepted high-fives and cheers from college students and grade schoolers alike. Mile four drops you through some of the fraternity and sorority houses as well as some of the local bars on the strip. As the course turns north on Knoblock Street it passes three of my most favorite things, Chris’ University Spirit Shop (my favorite spot to buy OSU gear), Hideaway Pizza (I could live on ‘za alone), and my boo thang (a.k.a. husband who was nice enough to hang with me and snap some pics).

Miles five and six wind you back out west of campus then east again to pass through campus as you run past the library and Boone Picken Stadium to cross the finish line just south of Gallagher-Iba Arena. The winner of the race was Normanite, Scott Downard with a 5:15 pace finishing in 32:40. That’s the 10K folks. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that people run the same routes as me at twice my speed and don’t immediately die afterwards. It’s crazy. I placed 195th overall, 80th out of all women, and 15th in my age group with an average pace of 10:06 and overall time of 1:02:50. Not too shabby for me. I’m chipping away at pace and distance. Just trying to get faster at those longer distances.

Ultimately, the course was flat with lots of great scenery around OSU’s campus. But what made this course stellar was the numerous amount of volunteers. The friendly folks at the registration table, the pace dividers at the starting line, course managers directing runners and traffic, and the oh-so-wonderfull water station volunteers throughout the course made it a safe and enjoyable atmosphere. Also, I didn’t hate the sweet swag that came with the reasonable race entry fee.

It was a great race, for a good cause, on a beautiful Oklahoma spring day. I couldn’t ask for anything more.