Race Report: Funky 5K

This has to be one of my favorite community 5Ks ever! Held in Park City every Labor Day, the Funky 5K was a great way to spend this holiday. Unfortunately that meant no sleeping in, but it was totally worth it! Costumes are encouraged, and while I did not dress up there were many clever costumes from Harry Potter characters to butterflies. People of all ages showed up to race with the youngest participant being about 5 and the oldest 89. The cloudy weather helped keep the course cooler as we lined up for a prompt start at 8:00 a.m.

The race began at Park City's City Park and the course wound slightly downhill until reaching the Rail Trail, a paved path cyclists and runners frequent. There were two more dramatic downhills before the course flattened out until the turnaround. This fast start helped me run my first sub 8-minute mile in a long time, and I was surprised when my GPS announced my time as 7:56. Unfortunately, that's where the record-breaking speed ended for me because this was a loop course, meaning all the downhills I breezed through at the beginning became butt-kicking climbs on the way back.

Oddly enough I normally enjoy these uphill slogs, but the last half-mile before the finish felt like running through quicksand. Still, I managed to cross the finish line in 28:08, my fastest 5K in awhile, but not that speedy in the running world. My speed demon friend Allan finished the race in about 21 minutes, placing 1st in his age group and 8th overall. I was  stoked to find out my time had netted me 2nd place in my age group and 17th in women. Granted it was a smaller race, but I wouldn't expect to place in a 5K, so placing in two this year makes me so happy!

After the race they did a great awards ceremony where each division placer received a clay medal made  by a local Park City artist. This unique touch made them extra special, but we really would have loved if our place had been listed somewhere on the medal. Hopefully they add that next year!

The Funky 5K benefitted Arts-Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing youth development and building community. If you don't know much about the organization, read up on them. I love that they use art to help kids develop life skills and deal with social, emotional, and economic issues.

Beyond the great course, planning, and medals, there were fantastic raffle prizes like shoes and sweatshirts from donors, and our race goodie bags included a shirt, energy chews, and a granola bar.

Medals galore!

The Funky 5K was followed by an tasty community breakfast in the park along with the annual Miner's Day parade and celebration events. Despite cloud cover and a few drops of rain making it chillier than expected, this was a perfect way to spend Labor Day. I highly recommend participating next year if you have the chance!

Thank you to the race committee for inviting us to participate! It was a great experience!