I haven't had much time to run in Pittsburgh lately because I'm either working weekends or traveling to an out-of-state race. I was so excited when this race popped up and I decided to register for the Achilles Hope and Possibility Race on April 9, 2016.
Below I've listed 6 reasons to run local races, specifically this one:
1. Close to Home. Who doesn't love to sleep in their own bed and wake up to a normal routine? The Achilles Pittsburgh Race is located in North Park. Bonus: You don't have to fight traffic to get downtown or park. You might even live close enough that you could sleep in...winning!
2. Hometown Swag. I love race swag. T-shirts, medals, coupons! But honestly, a lot of races provide local coupons and if I'm from out of town I don't typically have time to use them when visiting. If your local race hands out a swag bag, you are more likely to use the items specific to your city because you live there. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides a t-shirt (guaranteed if you registered by March 13, 2016) and a cool medal if you sign up for the 5k/10k challenge!
3. People you know. You're more likely to run into someone you know at a local race. Or you can more easily convince friends/family to join you...maybe even volunteer! The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides volunteer opportunities and different race distances for every level, even beginners. They have a virtual race, 1 mile fun walk, 5k, 10k, and 5k/10k challenge.
4. Familiar course. Sometimes you're lucky and a local race provides a course along your regular running route. The familiarity can help calm nerves and enjoy the course without any crazy surprises. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race is at the North Park Boathouse in Allison Park. Many people I know run the 5 mile loop around the park and may find comfort in having an idea about what the course will be like on race day.
(5k and 10k course maps from www.achillespghrace.com)
5. Benefits local organizations. Hometown races may support local charities or organizations that are familiar to your city. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race benefits the Pittsburgh Chapter of Achilles International in support of athletes with disabilities and to increase awareness for adaptive sports.
6. Awards. Local races are typically much smaller so the chances to place higher in an age group or even WIN are greater than a well-known 5k or huge marathon. The Achilles Pittsburgh Race provides awards to the top 3 overall male and female finishers of both races and medals to the top three finishers of each age group. Participants who complete the 5k/10k challenge earn a finishers medal!
(www.achillespghrace.com)
So many great reasons to run a race in your town! If you'd like to run local, consider registering for The Achilles Pittsburgh Hope and Possibility Race on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at 9am. Bring your family and friends and get outside!
You can use the code 'JennRuns' for 10% off your registration on the website:
http://www.achillespghrace.com
I will be out there running the challenge and I really hope to see some familiar faces on race day!
Happy running!
Jenn :)
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