Prague 10K

I'll start right off by saying what a cool race!  On Saturday Rich and I ran in the Prague 10K,  an evening run through the streets of Prague.  This is the biggest race I have participated in.  I think there were about 3,600 runners (or as the race guide said “six hundred thousand”, I think that translation is a bit off!)   Not only were there lots of participants, but the course was lined with spectators which was really fun even though I know they were not there to cheer for me.

We picked up our race packets earlier in the day on Saturday and I laughed reading the race guide.  Here is my favorite part.  “How to Dress for the race.  Women will appreciate elastic leggings that stop just below the knee—they make for a better figure and function better than the longer ones”    I'm not sure if the translation came across just right or what.  After getting our packets, we spent the day touring Prague Castle before returning for the race.

Pre race area

At the race, there were changing tents to change into our running clothes (and no I didn't wear the elastic leggings for a better figure).  Just outside the changing tents there were several people smoking.  I didn't know that running and smoking went together.  I went to the port-a-potties and noticed there were pink ones for women (Jennys) and green ones for men (Johnnys).  After using the port-a-pottie I went to the hand washing station only to realize it wasn't a hand washing station but a men's outdoor urinal.  Welcome to Europe!  

In the Pre race area.  Notice the pink port-a-potties.

Closer to the actual starting line.  

I was in start group D and when it was time to line up I walked past group A, B, and C thinking next would be D,  but instead it was E.  I didn't know where to go so I just got in at the end of C/beginning of E group (isn't that where you would think D would be?).   Later in the race I did see the group D start area down a different street.  I was so far back I the pack that it took 4 minutes to walk to the starting line once the race began.   There were so many runners that the first K was not really running, but rather a slow jog trying to not trip over the other runners. It did open up as the race went along, but I was never alone.  

This was the start of the 5K race before the 10K race.   It was dark by the time the 10K started.  

The course was a bit confusing as it looped around the same area several times in different ways.   It's a good thing I was not the lead runner.   I was able to see the lead runners two times and they were fast!  I passed the same point on the course 4 different times so that is where we had our kids watch.  It was fun to see them 4 times during the race.  The run went through the streets of Prague in the  the Old Town Square area and across three bridges.  Absolutely beautiful!  But I had to spend more time looking at the ground than scenery because running on cobblestone requires more attention.

View of Prague Castle and Charles Bridge.  I told you it was beautiful!

At the aid station (or refreshment point as it was called in the race guide) I got a cup of water only to discover it was gassed or carbonated water.  I guess I haven't acquired the taste for it yet and it certainly didn't “refresh” me while running.  Good thing this was just a 10K so I didn't really need the water anyway.

I finished

And so did Rich.

It's always a good feeling to cross the finish line.  Soon after the finish line  there was a path for the participants to walk down to the post race area.  Once again it was congested, only this time it was full of sweaty stinky people.  But I got through and got my finishers medal, an emergency blanket that all runners received and my finishers bag of fliers and coupons all written in Czech.  I really enjoyed my first international running event.  I hope we can find a few more to participate in before this adventure is over.