Alpenfest 10k race review

Short Version
Finished in 45:23(official time); PR? - Yes and no; I'll explain further
Overall place: 19/122
Place for Men: 17/54
Overall pace: 7:19/mile
Age Group place(M40-44): 1/8
Race #49

Official results from Runner's Edge Race Timing

It's always nice to run a small town race.  This is the third time I've run the Alpenfest 10k and I came in first in my Age Group.   One of the best things about running small races is I actually have a chance to place in my Age Group.  Overall a nice race but the organizers made a big mistake and the course was short by 0.10 due to a mix up in the placement of the 10k turn around.  I'd still run this again and hope it does not happen next time I run it.

Registration/Packet Pickup
Registration was very easy.  You could pre-register on Active.   Frankly though, race day registration was also easy as I saw several runners doing that too.  I only saved $2 by registering early since there is a convenience fee on Active.

Packet pick up day before and race day

You could pick up your packet the day before or on race morning.  Given the size of the race, I'm surprised that the race even offers pick up the day before.  There were a few volunteers to help but there were only a few people in line when I got there.   I gave them my name and they had the packets all set up by shirt size.   It was an easy process and I was in and out in no time.

Start Area
The start area really is a great place for a small race.  It's located under the pavilion in downtown Gaylord.  Since I planned to be up there this weekend, I figured why not run a race too.  For those of you that have not been to the Gaylord area, this race is part of the week long Alpenfest activities.  There's a fair with rides, an art fair, food and tons of activities the entire week including concerts.  Click HERE for more information on everything.

Start/finish

As you can see, the timing company was set up by the time I got there.   I was there about an hour early and really could have gone there 15 minutes before the start given the small size of the race.

Under cover

There was plenty of space for family to sit with their runners until start time and also after the race for awards.

Plenty of place to sit

Cold Stone Creamery and Tim Hortons was selling breakfast items before the race too.  It was a beautiful day with cooler temperatures(not 80 and humid) to start and sunny.

Food for sale

Coffee for sale

You can see how large the pavilion is with the picture below.  Plenty of space and a great area to start and finish.  It's also right next to the Alpenfest fair.  Since I was there early, I was able to see the fun run and the walkers start.  The fun run was.....fun.  It was nice to see the little kids run and smile.

Pavilion

Fun Run Start

Walkers start

Course
The course was the same course as previous years.  Well, sort of!  It was supposed to be the same but, it appears when comparing the course with the 2011 course, the organizers had a mixup with where the 10k turn around was supposed to be and I think what happened is they put it where the 5k turn around should have been.  It made the course 0.10 short.  It seems to me, the #1 thing is to make sure the course is set up correctly and whoever was in charge should have double checked it.   Of course, this is not a certified course but they should make efforts to make sure it's correct.  A big miss this year in my opinion and disappointing considering how well I ran this race.  If I adjust for the error, I don't get my PR so I'm not counting this as a PR.

Map per Garmin

Comparison from 2011 - big mistake

Ok, ok! Once again I started out way too fast. That first mile is more like 5k pace or even faster! After the first mile, I settled down a little and got into a good pace that was uncomfortably fast.  My main goal for this race was to just run this as my marathon pace run - a training run.  I only needed a 7:44 split to do that so I really did end up racing.  I'm happy I was able to continue to hit marathon pace for my pace runs so I was happy with the result overall.

Splits

The elevation was mostly flat except when you got into Aspen Park.   The paved trail in the park is not flat and makes for a little more challenge.   I hate this elevation chart because it barely looks like a bump!  As you can see, there's not a ton of runners for this race and I even lined up near the front which worked out well.  It looks like there is only a few runners ahead of me but really there's more like 15 since we stretched across the road.   This put me right where I should have started.

Elevation per Garmin

Runners behind me at Start

Runners ahead of me at start

We're off!

It was a ready, set, go race and we were off.  I started to get in my groove and the guy in yellow below was running at a good pace so I followed him until the park area and then passed him.  At the end, he congratulated me and said he was trying to keep up with me but fell a little short.

Running with the fast runner!

The course takes you by the Elks club where they have live Elk viewing.  It's a nice area to run.

Nice day!

View of Elk area

Out and back

Above and below show the short out and back portion used to get the distance correct.  Unfortunately it appears someone messed up because the 10k turn around below should have been(I'm assuming compared to 2011) at the back of the road and not the middle of the road so the result was a short course.  I can only assume that the 5k runners ended up with a long course as I believe the two spots should have been switched.

10k turn around - wrong!

As we made the turn around, we got to see the rest of the runners also make their way down the street as well.  This is just before going into Aspen Park.

pretty road

Entry to Aspen park

You can see above, the entrance to the trail in the park.  This is a really nice park that has both paved and unpaved trails which are great for running and biking.  It's a great source for Gaylord residents and visitors.

In park

You can see the park is well maintained and has lots of woods and trees as well as some open areas.  I've run here numerous times over the years and it a great place to run.

Where is everyone?

Nice woods view

Two loops in the park

After we did two loops in the park, we headed back out to make our way towards the finish line.

heading back

It's difficult to see but they had a band set up below at a retirement home.  It was nice to see that out there as I don't remember that last time I ran this course.

band

straight to the finish

As we started to get closer to the finish, there were more spectators that were cheering on the runners. It was nice to have some crowd support at the finish.

Finish(taken after)

Aid Stations
The race had two aid stations stocked with water.  Normally, I would say its not enough for a 10k, however, because we had two loops in the park and headed back the same way, two was plenty.  This meant we passed an aid station five times.  It's actually a great course that requires less volunteers and smart on behalf of the organizers.   I was not thinking and did not get a picture of the other aid station.  All volunteers were very helpful and also cheering on runners which was nice.

ready for runners(sorry it's blurry)

Finish area
After the finish, you made your way to the water and Powerade area.  The race also had food set up including watermelon, sub sandwiches, bananas, and cookies.  I was really hoping for those strawberries that were there last time but they didn't have them.   It was nice to have watermelon though and I thought they had a pretty good selection of food.

Immediate results

Results were already starting to be put up just after I finished and I was excited to see I had won my age group!   Woohoo!!!  The timing company had a board up to see the results.   In addition, they had the QR code on the bib so you could scan your bib with your phone.  There was a volunteer at the finish directing runners where to go and keeping them moving as well.  There was also plenty of room for family to wait and also take pictures.

Volunteer helping at end

The race had all the food set up in a line but, given the small size of the race, you could just walk up to what you wanted at any time.

Yum - coookies!

More food!

Powerade/water

Awards

The girls who won at Alpenfest were giving out the age group awards.  There were no finishers medals for any of the races so you needed to be fast in order to win a medal.

Amenities
For your $25 race entry(or $30 on race day), you received a cotton/poly shirt.   It's actually a really comfortable shirt and I'm happy to have one more race shirt I can wear on a daily basis versus a tech shirt.   I will say that the first time I ran this, we received Under Armour tech shirts that were REALLY nice - the nicest I've ever received from a race.   I'm sure they figured out, you don't have to give anything that nice.  Regardless, I like the simple design on the front of this years shirt.

If you were lucky enough to place in your age group like I did, you received a medal for it(top 3).  It was the exact same medal as two years ago when I ran it.   Haha!  I wish they at least could put the year on it to distinguish the year.  Regardless, I'm happy I placed first!

You also received finish line food and a timed race.   It was a gun start but a chip finish.  It was a semi-closed course meaning the volunteers stopped cars at the stop lights.  I did not see any police support but there was not much traffic so it really was not needed.

Shirt - front

Shirt - back

AG award(1st M40-44)

Medal

Same medal as 2 years ago!

Organization
The timing company was well organized and had results up quickly at the race and also on their website.  The start and finish were well set up.  The race had two port-o-potties set up at the start/finish and also regular public bathrooms(bonus).  The food was plenty for all finishers(I was there until the end for awards)

Obviously the biggest issue with organization was the short course.  It really was a big mistake that could have been avoided with better communication with its volunteers.  Also, the race had no website to answer FAQs and show the course, etc.   Instead, they just put limited information on the Active sign up site although given the smaller race, I can see why they did not have a separate website.  I think it's something they could easily include on the Alpenfest website though.

Overall
Overall, I really love running small town races and its a real bonus when I can come up to my cottage for the weekend and also run in a race.  It's nice to be one of the top runners once in awhile.  Other than the short course mishap(which is the first time it was short in 3 years I've run this), this is a fun race and route to do and not just a plain, flat course.  Perhaps I have more fun because it's in the town where I've been coming up North for years but I do like this one overall and I'm sure I'll be back for future races.

Have a great day and....Keep Running!!!!