Race #266 - Great Waldensian Footrace 5k & 10k - Valdese, NC - 08/09/14

It's one of the oldest races in North Carolina, and The Great Waldensian Footrace sets itself apart from the crowd in a couple of ways: (1) With the race-day registration price (without a shirt) of just 6 bucks, it's by far the least expensive race I know of; and (2) it's the only race I know that gives awards 5-deep in 5-year age groups.

I recently added another item on my race rating list to add or subtract points for unusual items like these and I'm adding 10 points for the unbelievable $6 race-day registration price and another 5 points for the 5-deep age group awards. I have mixed feelings about the age-group awards. It's kind of excessive to have so many awards for so few runners, but it does provide a way for runners who never get a chance to win an age group award the best chance of any race to walk away with a trophy -- and they're really nice trophies compared to those handed out in other races. I wish that the races with thousands of participants would take a hint and offer 5-deep age group awards.

The two things mentioned above make this a race worth running, and we had a big group from the Gaston County Runners who attended. I'm pretty sure this will become a race that many of us will look forward to each year.

I ran the 5k, which isn't too hilly, but I hear the 10k has a killer hill of about 3/4 of a mile and that could explain there are a lot more runners in the 5k than the 10k.

Something else that deserves mentioning is that during the awards they also had a drawing where four different runners won $50 each. Kind of unbelievable with the $6 entry fee, but it was a nice surprise even though I didn't win any money.

Nice group of Gaston County Runners at the end of the awards ceremony in the gym.


Race Results:



My Stats:

Time: 21:54
Pace:  7:03
Age Group: 1 of  6
Overall:  25 of  204 (12.3%)
Average Heart Rate: 166
Maximum Heart Race: 172
Age Graded Equivalent Time: 17:18 (74.54%)

***************
* RACE RATING *
***************

RACE COURSE
3 - Chip Timing: (3 points if yes)
0 - Starting Mat: (2 points if yes)
2 - Water Stops: (0)none  (2)normal  (5)extras [Gu, sports drink, etc.]
1 - Course Marking:  (0)bad  (1)good
3 - Course Scenery:  (0-5) 1=bad  and 5=fantastic
1 - Mile Markers: (0)poor or none  (1)normal  (2)with clocks or time called out
2 - Volunteers:  (0)too few  (2)good
5 - Finish line: (0-9)   0=bad  and 9=spectacular!
0 - Certified Course: (0)no  (2) yes
2 - Correct Distance: (0)no  (2)yes
1 - Partly or fully on unpaved roads:  (0)yes  (1)no

REGISTRATION
5 - Cost:  (0)expensive  (2)reasonable  (5)cheap!
3 - Race Day Registration:  (0)no  (3)yes

RESULTS
2 - Posted promptly online:  (0)no  (2)yes
0 - Clear link on website:  (0)no  (1)yes

AGE GROUPS
2 - 3 deep awards: (2)yes (0 for anything less)
5 - 5-year age groups (5 points) (0 for anything less)
1 - 14 and under group (1)
1 - 65+ group (1)
1 - 70+ group (1)
2 - Top Overall M/F:  (0)none or first only  (2)top 3 or better
0 - Masters Category(40+): (0)no  (2)yes
0 - Grand Masters Category (50+):  (0)no  (3)yes
0 - Senior Grand Masters Category: (0)no  (5)yes

AWARDS
5 - Overall Winner Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent
5 - Age Group Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent
5 - Door Prizes or Drawing: (0)no  (2)yes   (5-9)fabulous door prizes!
0 - Finisher Medals for All Finishers: (0)no  (3)yes  (5)really cool medals

POST RACE
4 - Food for Race Participants: (0-10 with 5 being average)
3 - Entertainment:  (0)no  (1-9)yes
2 - Finisher times posted after race:  (0)no  (2)yes

REST ROOMS
0 - Porta Potties:  (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful
2 - Indoor Restrooms: (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful

T-SHIRTS
2 - T-Shirts: (0)no  (2)yes
2 - Design: (0)not good  (1)not bad  (2)nice  (5)beautiful!
2 - Material: (0)cotton  (2)technical fabric
2 - Discount for no-shirt option:  (0)no (2)yes

PHOTOGRAPHY
0 - Professional Photography: (0)no  (5)yes
x - Prices: (0)expensive  (2)reasonable  (5)cheap!
0 - Free Photographs (newspaper, etc.):  (0)no  (2)yes  (5)lots of free pics!

PARKING
2 - Close to Start:  (2)yes  (0)no
2 - Close to Finish:  (2)yes  (0)no
2 - Plenty of spaces:  (2)yes  (0)no
2 - Free Parking:  (2)yes  (0)no

OTHER
2 - Shelter from Inclement Weather (needed or not): (0)no  (2)yes
0 - Swag (free socks, water bottles, etc.): (0)no  (2)yes, some  (5)excellent
0 - Part of race series or Grand Prix:  (0)no  (2)yes
2 - Kids Fun Run: (0)no   (2)yes
+ - Miscellaneous not covered above: (-10 to +10)
10 -Lowest race-day registration price of any race ($6 with no shirt)
5 - Five-deep age groups

TOTAL:  103

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