RUNable Race Review: Spooky Sprint

RACE STATS:

• DATE OF RACE: October 26, 2019
• DISTANCE(s): 5k, Half Marathon
• REVIEWED: Half Marathon
• LOCATION: Madison, MS
• DIFFICULTY: Level 3.5
• CAUSE: American Red Cross
• RUNscore: 3.3 Stars

A Running Glance:

Things I loved

• The opportunity to earn THE BIGGEST MEDAL I’ve ever seen!
• Fun Halloween theme

Things I less than loved

• Rough course
• Yucky weather; rain & wind!

RUNable Review:

The Spooky Sprint was one for the history books! From the fun Halloween theme (complete with Toy Story 4 costumes) to the GIANT 6-inch in diameter medals, to the rain, wind and flooded course – this was definitely a race I will never forget!!

Price

The price for the 5k started at $28 and increased to $40 on race day, while the cost of the Half Marathon began at $50, landing at $80 on race day. Considering the size and quality of the bling involved, I’d say these prices are on point.

T-shirt/Swag

The t-shirt is Gildan SoftSpun Ring-style, super soft and very lightweight. This particular variety is one of my favorites because it’s 65% polyester and 35% cotton, which makes for quite the comfy blend.

Expo/Finish Line

The finish line at this event was a little bare, mostly because of the poor weather. BRC events are usually a little more festive, but since the conditions were truly not ideal for sensitive electronic equipment to be exposed to the elements, I completely understand that they allowed our usual DJ sleep in that morning!

Medal/Awards

THIS MEDAL THOUGH! The gallery below is comprised of pictures of just a few of my fellow-finishers. Every single one of these friends, I met through running! I love this sport for that very reason; running unites us all. Besides, who doesn’t want to earn a giant 6-inches in diameter medal! This thing is HEAVY DUTY too! I may need to reinforce my medal rack before hanging her up!

Volunteers

BLESS THE VOLUNTEERS! It’s one thing to RUN in a monsoon. (I mean, that’s CRAZY, right?) It’s completely another thing to go stand out in the pouring, freezing rain so that OTHER PEOPLE can run, have a great time and earn their medals on race morning. <3

Course Scenery

The course started from the Lake Caroline Clubhouse and took us across the levy through the scenic neighborhood of Lake Caroline.

Course Difficulty: LEVEL 3.5

This course rated a little tougher than most on the RUNable Course Difficulty Scale. There were several unpaved back roads that on a nice day MAY have been fine. But let me tell you, in a torrential downpour, this uneven terrain quickly became treacherous. I spent a lot of time and energy puddle jumping!

Aid Stations

There were several water stations set up on course. Again, I offer a big thanks to those who braved the less than lovely weather that day to support our event!

Parking/Access

Parking at the Lake Caroline Clubhouse was convenient and plentiful.

Race Management

I have met a lot of race directors in my running career, and I would be hard-pressed to introduce you to one who cares more about his runners than Randen Schleiden. He is a kind, generous, considerate, and truly an asset to our local running community. RAnden, I hope you continue to grow Bodies Race Company Jackson. Y’all check out the upcoming events and don’t forget to use promo code runable_20 to save yourself 20% off registration!

Finishing Thoughts ….

One of my favorite parts of this race was the fun Halloween theme. (Please someone, give me a reason to dress up!!) I took a lot of time contemplating my costume options and eventually decided that Opie and I would dress up as characters from Toy Story. I was intent on dressing up like “Forky” from the latest version, Toy Story 4. (Have y’all seen it? It’s super cute, especially the new characters!) One night a few weeks before the race, I mentioned this plan while chatting with several other runners at a social run. The next thing I knew, multiple friends had decided to join in on the fun! I love it when a plan comes together – and these guys really went all out with their costumes. (Ashley as Bo Peep / Julie as Slinky Dog / Renee as an Alien / Jen as Buzz Lightyear / Selena as Jessie / Opie as Woody / Me (Chris) as Forky) You guys really made this event even more fun! Thanks for playing along!