Race #13 – Jingle Bell Run 5k – Kings Mountain, NC – 12/06/08


I intended to take some photos to post here but never got the camera out of the car. It was freezing outside and didn’t seem to warm up any at all. I think it might have been about 35 degrees when the awards were handed out about 10:30 a.m.
The course was up and down (lots of hills) through a maze of local nondescript neighborhoods and was centered around a gazebo at Patriot’s Park near the middle of town. Luckily Kings Mountain is a small town and it was easy to find the park at the edge of downtown KM because no actual address was given for the race other than “Patriot’s Park at the gazebo.” The race was sponsored by the YMCA, which would have been a better place to have the race and would have provided some shelter from the freezing cold. There were also no porta-potties and the only nearby restrooms were in the theatre up the street (which I think might have been providing care for small children during the race).
On the bright side, the long-sleeved black cotton T-shirts were nice and the trophies given out were very nice as well. There was plenty of food too. There were bananas, oranges, bottled water, and about six 6-foot subs from the local SubStation II restaurant. Whoever cut the sandwiches up into individual servings only cut about halfway through, so tearing those off was quite a mess, but hey, it’s the thought that counts I guess.
Race Rating:
  • 4 – 4/6 Number of Participants (4 for less than 100; 6 for 100 or more)
  • 8 – 1-10 Awards (Quality of medals, trophies, etc.) (1 to 10)
  • 6 – 1-10 Awards Presentation (PA system, stating winning times, etc.) (1 to 10)
  • 6 – 1-10 Food for Race Participants (1 to 10)
  • 7 – 1-10 T-Shirts (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
  • 4 – 4/6 Part of Race Series (Grand Prix, etc.) (6=Yes and 4=No)
  • 6 – 4/6 Online Registration (6=Yes and 4=No)
  • 4 – 4/6 Chip Timing (6=Yes and 4=No)
  • 7 – 3/7 Certified Course (by USA Track & Field) (7=Yes and 3=No)
  • 4 – 1-10 Course (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
  • 5 – 1-10 Parking (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
  • 5 – 1-10 Entertainment (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
  • 7 – 3/7 Age Groups (7 if 5-year groups; 3 if 10-year groups)
  • 1 – 1-10 Bathroom Facilities
  • 0 – 1-10 Other

  • TOTAL – 74

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