John Penning 5k
John Penning 5k
July 22nd 2017
Dubuque, IA
5k
This was the second year I ran this race, (however it was the umpteenth time I have ran at this course since xc in high school). For a quick description of the course, its a cross country course at a soccer complex. There are three laps that each runner completes, (which yes, it can get repetitive), but each lap is slightly different than the previous, each having a long gradual hill that you must climb to get back to the top. There are short, steep, hills that take you from soccer field to soccer field, so the course gives a varying challenge to each runner. Also, the entire course is on grass, which can be a change if you are a runner who only trains on concrete. However, this does allow people who have spikes to dig them out of the closet and take them for a spin.
This race is a fundraiser for a local high school's cross country teams. It allows for people to experience what these athletes have to go through for their competitions and allows you to meet the coaches and athletes. For me, I love coming back as an alumni of the team and supporting the cause.
The location of the race allows for some awesome benefits. It has a large parking lot that isnt too difficult to get in and out of, has bathrooms with running water (not stuck to only port-o-potties), and with the looping style of the course, spectators are able to watch the entire race and have the opportunity to cheer their runners on multiple times without having to move too far.
One of the only drawbacks that I can see people not enjoying about this race is the way the course loops and is repetitive. It does help you figure out where you have to go next, but in full honesty, it does suck. Also, with the looping, if you are near the back of the pack, you will more than likely get lapped by the people who are leading.
With this being a grass course, one other problem that can arise is if it rains the previous night. This year, we ended up getting a few inches the night before, which left the course with puddles all over. My shoes were squishing by the first .1 mile. I thought it was fun, as it brought back memories of XC, but it did make the course harder to maneuver.
In the end, if you are in the Dubuque area and want a different style race compared to standard, road-race, that benefits a great cause, this race is for you. It will definitely challenge you, especially if you have never run the course before. Or, if you have a friend or family member who runs cross country, this is a great race to do just so you can see how tough of a sport it really is. (if youre the runner whose family says your sport isnt that hard, its a good race to sign them up for 😁)
This race is a fundraiser for a local high school's cross country teams. It allows for people to experience what these athletes have to go through for their competitions and allows you to meet the coaches and athletes. For me, I love coming back as an alumni of the team and supporting the cause.
The location of the race allows for some awesome benefits. It has a large parking lot that isnt too difficult to get in and out of, has bathrooms with running water (not stuck to only port-o-potties), and with the looping style of the course, spectators are able to watch the entire race and have the opportunity to cheer their runners on multiple times without having to move too far.
One of the only drawbacks that I can see people not enjoying about this race is the way the course loops and is repetitive. It does help you figure out where you have to go next, but in full honesty, it does suck. Also, with the looping, if you are near the back of the pack, you will more than likely get lapped by the people who are leading.
With this being a grass course, one other problem that can arise is if it rains the previous night. This year, we ended up getting a few inches the night before, which left the course with puddles all over. My shoes were squishing by the first .1 mile. I thought it was fun, as it brought back memories of XC, but it did make the course harder to maneuver.
In the end, if you are in the Dubuque area and want a different style race compared to standard, road-race, that benefits a great cause, this race is for you. It will definitely challenge you, especially if you have never run the course before. Or, if you have a friend or family member who runs cross country, this is a great race to do just so you can see how tough of a sport it really is. (if youre the runner whose family says your sport isnt that hard, its a good race to sign them up for 😁)
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