Firecracker 5K

The Firecracker 5K is held the weekend around July 4th and benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Bryant and I did volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House here in Pensacola last year. Bryant was working on his Citizenship in the Community for Boy Scouts. It was such a rewarding experience.
The race is always very large, well organized, and has a fun after party with lots of good food and a band.

 Jennifer and I pre-race and then a group shot with lots of Sole2Soul Sisters

before the race. Naturally, it was super hot and humid. I think we were just all hoping

to survive and not have a heat stroke.

 

 I felt pretty good during the race. I love running these races held downtown as you get to run by the water, which is always motivating to me because the sight of water and sun just makes my spirit happy. I was so excited when I found this picture on the Ronald McDonald website. I never seem to have a decent picture of me running.

Jennifer having fun!

Above: Dana gives a wave.

Below: Mary completes her first 5K. She trained with us, but was unable to do

the Fiesta because she was working to restore power after the tornado in Alabama.

 Above: Fatma is all smiles headed to the finish line.

Below: Tally, who was Blake's third grade teacher, is focused

and booking it to the finish line.

 More friends join the fun: Andrew, Ali, and Theresa above, Afsaneh below.

Above: Cathy sure looks happy to have the finish line in sight.

Below: I met a new Sole2Soul Sister from Daphne, Jackie.

 Below: Regina was completing her first 5K. She is the media center specialist

at my son's school. She didn't start training when the intial group of S2S Sisters did.

She was inspired to do it on her own, which I think takes extra commitment. Congratulations!

 Above: My friend Dana from Mobile came over to run. We have been friends

since I began teaching in 1996. What a wonderful blessing to still be friends, even

though I have moved all over the state of Alabama (and now Florida) since then.

Below: Missy and I after the race. Missy found me through dailymile.com. She is so much

fun and has been a wonderful support for our Sole2Soul Sisters group.

 Above: Scott surprised me by coming down to the race. He loves to sleep in so I was

pleasantly surprised to see him. I was thrilled that he could help me get water

 and cold, wet cloths to thewomen as they came through the finish line.

Below: Cathy, Fatma, me, and Jennifer

I'm so thankful to have faithful running buddies!

 Most of our group after the race, we survived the heat.

So, all in all, this is such a super fun race, despite the heat. Only one HUGE disappointment, the race was only 2.88 miles. There was some construction going on downtown, so the route was a little different. It shocked me though that one of the biggest races in town would not make sure to be accurate. My time was 29:40, perhaps one day I'll get under 30 minutes, but in an actual 3.1 route.