Reindeer Romp

I had heard about the Reindeer Romp on Facebook through the TIFL Alumni group page. I saw pictures of last year’s race. I noticed the race participants received hooded sweatshirts. I love a hoodie. As fall drew near, I started to google the race and kept it on my calendar. I reached out to a friend who is from Charlotte to see if she was interested in doing the race as well. Then we could stay at her mom’s house. Win-Win. Forward to a week before the race, my reindeer romp weekend partner informs me that she has another commitment and cannot make the race but she has made arrangements with her mom for me to still stay with her for the race. SCORE.

The race was held on December 12, 2015 at the Harris YMCA in Charlotte. I drive down Friday afternoon. I make it to packet pickup at the Y just in time. As I turn into the parking lot, I spy with my little eye a car in front of me with a TIFL sticker. I think to myself well I bet that we are probably going to the same place. I indirectly follow them. I park and then I see the driver of the car is TIFL Charlotte past president Hilary Crabtree. I yell out her name and we head over to the Y. I pick up my packet and Melva’s packet. Once I told Melva we were getting hooded sweatshirts she changed her mind in trying to sell her race bib. Good call.

I checked the weather before I left Raleigh and the forecast at 8am was 55 degrees. In my mind that’s COLD. I opt to pack long sleeve running clothes. Since it’s a Christmas theme race I pack my Star Wars ugly t-shirt. I’m up and at it Saturday morning. I have about a 30-minute drive from Mary Peed’s house AKA Melva Peed’s mom AKA my hostess with the for the weekend. I arrive at the Y about 7:26am. We are meeting at 7:30am for group picture. As I get all my gear out, I see a few TIFL sisters. I have now been designated the Raleigh exchange student. Isn’t’ that special? I will travel for a race. I’m starting to feel warm from the two layers I have on. I didn’t bring anything else to put on. We head over to the race start. Our group is way too big for a groupie pic. We recruit someone to take a real group pic. Geri Hampton Jackson who has been designated the best Southeast groupie photographer gets one with her phone. After the picture, I go “pay the water bill”. I see the crowd has dispersed. I just follow folks and end up at the start line. I’m walking this race as I have done all my races this year. I will return to running soon. I’m lining up with Angel and Tiffany and Alexia in the baby stroller. She has it the easiest and doesn’t even know it.

At 8am, the race starts, we start on a slight incline. We make our way through neighborhood behind the Y. I’m moving along pretty good with Angel and Tiffany. This course has some HILLS. The weather is started to warm up. It’s foggy and humid. I’m sweating like a sinner in church in my too many layers of clothing. We pass mile 1 and we all are like it’s just mile 1. I’m sipping on the water in my CamelBak like it’s the best thing since sliced bread. It really is because I am losing water from sweating like it’s going out of style. The neighborhood is actually nice. We are admiring the Christmas decorations and the panthers decorations because this is Charlotte, home of the undefeated Carolina Panthers. We have just passed mile 2. I see another hill. I’m like come on. There’s a cop out on the course who tells us “This is the last hill”. Angel ask “are you sure” He replies I have 2 weeks left on this job so I would not lie. Strangely enough he was right, that was the last hill. We make a few more turns after the hill. Angel tells me that we are making our way back to the Y because there is a traffic up and head. I’m so happy to see we are headed back to Sharon Road. The right lane is still blocked off for traffic. Our lovely personal stalkers, the race course pickup crew and the sweeper car tell us to get on the sidewalk because they are opening the road up. We get on the sidewalk and cross the intersection. We are about a block and some change from where I parked. We head to the finish; I tell Angel it’s a shame my car is parked right there. She tells me nope we have to make it to the finish line first. We run into Geri and Donella who are leaving. We run into another course monitor who directs on where to go to make it to the finish line. We meander through the parking lot and turn onto the sand and head to the finish line. The very helpful course monitor volunteers try to get us to run it in to the finish line. I’m seriously looking at her like it’s so not happening. I tell her I’m just happy that I made it. We all cross the finish line. My official time is 1:10:23. They hand us what looks like a medal but I am told it is a Christmas ornament. How cool is that? I wasn’t even expecting any bling. I was SOLD on the hoodie. Another 5K is in the books. Back to back 5K’s are done. 1 race left to complete for the year on December 19 in Virginia Beach, Surf-n-Santa 5 miler.