The event itself: Where? How long? When? Weather?
The event start and finish line was on Mercy Rd between Stinson Park and the Fleet Feet Aksarben shoe store. The course turned right on Aksarben Drive, right on Pine, right on 67th St. It was great for spectators because we could see the gun and start and then walk over to the finish line and cheer the runners in. It was a hot day, so they reversed the order with the elite runners going first at 8am and the kids going last at 8:45am. A new wave started every 15 minutes. The high school and middle school runners went second at 8:15am. The open adults went at 8:30am. The kids did laps around a big statue in the park. Little ones did fewer laps. Albert surprised me and ran the whole 4 laps.
Course description and evaluation of event logistics
It was very well-organized. The route is flat and Aksarben Dr runs tangent to the Keystone trail. The energy was amazing. My dad went with us and he was impressed with all the runners and how family-friendly it is to attend a race. There was a balloon arch photo op. The race swag included a 3"x 5" card with tips for race day from a woman who can run a sub-5 minute mile. Race-day pickup was easy. They were not strict about showing ID at day before race bib pickup. They handed out T-shirts at the end of the race. They announced at 8am that the number of participants was less than expected so it's possible not everyone in the open division got shirts and medals.
How did you train for the event
I should have done some runs with my child because I didn't realize he would run an 11 minute mile. A friend told me her daughter runs a 7'30" now so I guess I better keep training.
Gear and Nutrition
Didn't bring much. Just a water bottle that I left on the stroller. I also brought some trail mix to eat while spectating, which came in handy for the kiddos. I ate Coach's oats with protein powder and peanut butter for breakfast along with 2 cups of coffee. I wanted to dress like Cookie Monster and there were some cute costumes.
Specific experiences
There were lots of volunteers from Fleet Feet all around the course at cheer stations. It was so sweet to run behind my kiddo and see him high fiving the giant foam hands of the volunteers. There were also little signs in the ground with motivational messages.
Finish and associated emotions
At the end I was so enthusiastic to see Albert get a medal. He was very proud of it. I ran with my sister and her daughter who is 3 years old. My dad was taking pictures and videos of all of us. I was proud of my sister for showing up. It was her first race postpartum after her two girls were born. It's not easy coming back to running while you are still breastfeeding. Her daughter Elena isn't even a year old yet.
Overall evaluation of the event
Overall, l loved this event and I would consider doing it again. There seems to be a strong running community in Omaha, which made even more sense after I ran on my own a few weeks later. I wonder if the organizers would consider adding other race distances. But for a summer event, it was excellent to be "short & sweet." And parking was free!
P.S. I found this event by searching Running In The USA, which I learned about from listening to the Rise and Run podcast. Elysha recommended doing a destination race while traveling for summer vacation. I'm so glad I found this one.
My sister pointed out that a 1-mile race is very beginner-friendly, and the organizers did a great job of making it inclusive to all runners.
