I ran the first two races of the Kennesaw Grand Prix series in May and June then had to miss the Sports Fanatic 5K in July due to being out of town for my Grandma's funeral service. The next race in the series was the Hero Run 5K. I have ran this race several times previously and really enjoy this race. While the race is on a great course and is very well organized, it is the cause that means the most to me. The proceeds from the race fund multiple programs for veterans including the Wounded Warrior Project.
I ran a solid first mile - actually, it was one of my fastest miles ever. Mile two inside of the park was pretty decent with just a slightly slower pace. I typically slow down a little bit inside of the park because the course is pretty narrow at this point as it is paved trail in the park so maneuvering around folks can be kind of tricky.
The final mile has a bit of a long yet very gradual uphill before the final .2 mile of downhill to the finish line - I slowed down a bit in that last mile.
One of my favorite things about the Kennesaw Grand Prix series is that the mayor of Kennesaw greets you at the finish line with high fives. How cool is that?!?! After crossing the finish line, I grabbed some water and waited near the finish line to cheer on the runners and wait for my peeps to arrive.
The next race of the series is on September 30 for the Great Locomotive Chase 5K. We will have to miss this one due to other commitments, but I will return for the final race of the series in October, the Garden Gallop.
To learn more about the Kennesaw Grand Prix series and register for their upcoming races, be sure to check out their website.