Race Report - HMF Legend's 4 Miler

I know it's a week late, but I do have a few things to say about the new HMF Legend's 4 Miler.  Yes HMF had a race called that last year, and I ran it, but that race was in June and while it, too, was in Middletown, it was a different course.  This was my first time racing this course, albeit, not my first time on any of these roads.

The good (keeping in mind that one person's good could be another person's evil):

• Closing down Main Street in Middletown and using the park as a staging area is brilliant.  It's Americana at its best.
• The food at the post race party was outstanding - great pizza, delicious cup cakes and I heard the pulled pork sliders were terrific.
• The weather provided the first nice running conditions we have had ALL YEAR.  I don't know how HMF pulled that off, but it was appreciated.
• A spectacular finish down main Street with spectators and music and a PA system to call out the finishers' names.
• Well placed water stops (not that I ever avail myself).
• Closed roads.

Now (for me) the bad:

• Narrow starting chute - I always worry about being jostled.  I know.  I know.  That's what elbows are for, but the guy next to me might weigh 100 lbs more than I do.  He's going to win.
• That quick left turn (see above about the guy next to me).
• The hill in the first 100M.
• The downhill finish (I know there seems to be no pleasing me).

Here's my blog-clusion:  To each her own.  I know most people love a downhill finish, but my age and size play against me doing as well on a downhill as others.  I got passed by 10-15 people there on the final downhill.  I have been thinking about this a lot and if I am going to a race just to have fun, this was a great race for that.  If I want to run well, I need to do a better job of picking my course.  I KNOW I don't do well with a downhill finish, so why choose this one?  I KNOW I race best when I allow myself to run hog-wild in the first mile, so why choose one with a hill so steep I can't do that?

Is it a bad choice for everyone?  No.  Most people run more evenly and love to finish downhill.  

Runner know thyself.