Race #502 -- Crawdads Home Run Trot 5k -- Hickory, NC -- 07/31/21


It's been six years since I've run a race in my hometown of Hickory. When I first started running 13 years ago I sought out races in the Hickory area thinking I'd run into some old friends, but over the years I realized that wasn't going to happen, so now it seems I only run there if there's a race that I'm really interested in or if there are no races nearer to me.

This weekend the Home Run Trot was the only race anywhere close so I headed for Hickory. It was good to see a few of my friends from the Charlotte/Gastonia area there, so we could hang out together both before and after the race.

The race is held in the area surrounding the baseball field where the Hickory Crawdads minor league team plays and, as is the case with pretty much every race in this area, there aren't a lot of flat spots to run on. Seems like you're either going uphill or downhill the entire race. I wasn't exactly thrilled with my finish time of 25:41, but that seems to be the trend I'm headed for lately. I'm a couple of minutes slower than I was just a couple of years ago in 5k races, and even though I'm not thrilled with that, I am thankful that I can still be running when a lot of people my age have already hung up their running shoes. It's only about another half year when I turn 70, and my goal is to still be running decently in my 70s. 

Can't say I'm particularly proud of it, but each of the dips in this pace chart represents a walk break, so that's 10 times I walked in this 5k. 


Race Name: Hickory Crawdads & Fleet Feet Hickory Home Run Trot 5k

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

Date:  July 31, 2021

Race Rating:  69

Top 10 Overall:

My Age Group (60-99):

Ages 60-99 were smushed into one age group although to age 50 there were 5-year age groups. Race directors sometimes think that's a good idea because there are fewer old people in the race. I think they're wrong and that more old people show up if there are 5-year age groups up until at least 70-and-over. 

Course:


Elevation:

Weather at Start:



Click Here for Race Results

There were no official race photos, but you could get a finish line photo by stopping the finish line video and doing a screen grab.


My Stats:

  • Time:  25:41
  • Pace:  8:18
  • Age Group (60-99):  3 of 6
  • Overall:  28 of 133
  • Average Heart Rate:  153
  • Maximum Heart Rate:  162
  • Age Grade Percentage:  67.88%


***************

* RACE RATING *

***************


RACE COURSE 

0 - Chip & Gun Timing: (3 points if yes)

2 - Water Stops: (0)none  (2)normal  (5)extras [Gu, sports drink, etc.]

1 - Course Marking:  (0)bad  (1)good

2 - 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

7 - 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 

2 - Cost:  (0)expensive  (2)reasonable  (5)cheap!

3 - Race Day Registration:  (0)no  (3)yes


RESULTS

2 - Posted online within 24 hours:  (0)no  (2)yes

1 - Easy to find results:  (0)no  (1)yes


AGE GROUPS

2 - 3 deep awards: (2)yes (0 for anything less)

0 - 5-year age groups (5 points) (0 for anything less)

1 - 14 and under group (1)

0 - 65+ group (1)

0 - 70+ group (1)

1 - Top Overall M/F:  (0)none; (1) 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

2 - Age Group Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent

0 - Door Prizes or Drawing: (0-9)

0 - Finisher Medals for All Finishers: (0)no  (3)yes  (5)really cool medals


POST RACE 

2 - Food for Race Participants: (0-10 with 5 being average)

7 - Venue (Entertainment, Race Setting, etc.): (1-9)

0 - 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

3 - Design: (1-5)

3 - Material Quality: (1-3)

0 - Discount for no-shirt option:  (0)no (2)yes


PHOTOGRAPHY 

0 - Professional Photography: (0)no  (5)yes

x - Prices: (1)expensive  (3)reasonable  (5)cheap

3 - Free Photographs (newspaper, etc.):  (0)no  (1-10)yes [Video]


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

0 - Kids Fun Run: (0)no   (2)yes

x - Miscellaneous not covered above: (-10 to +10)


TOTAL:  69


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