Race For The Cure: A Race All About Hope
Editor’s Note: This post is written by Minneapolis Running Ambassador, Alisa Dean, and has been edited for length and clarity.
This year I ran the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure for the first time. What motivated me to join was my friend Sue who has been fighting breast cancer through chemotherapy, a mastectomy, and radiation. She is a constant inspiration in my life and I was honored to carry her name on my shirt throughout the run.
Related: Why You Should Add A Charity Race To Your Running Schedule
To run Race For The Cure you need a reason that goes beyond getting your next PR. They do have top finishers for the race, but they do not do chip timing for this event. As I was running, I had the opportunity to see the bibs pinned on the backs of other runners that included their reasons for running, the people they loved, who they were running for, etc. It can be a pretty emotional experience, but don’t worry - they sprinkle hope and brightness throughout the course!
I ended up seeing Vikings cheerleaders, drummers, and an announcer at the final turn telling us we were rock stars because we were in the top 600 runners (of thousands) finishing the course. My absolute favorite spectators on the course were the moms! They were offering encouragement, high fives, and hugs.
Related: How to Be a Good Spectator
The course itself was pretty easy. There were a few hills, but nothing too big or long. Much of it was along the residential streets in Edina close to Southdale Mall. It was well marked and there were police officers at every turn so that you didn’t have to worry about getting lost. We also got to use the entire street which meant that after the first ¼ mile folks had pretty much sorted themselves out into paces and even if someone stopped running in front of you there was plenty of room to dodge around them without hitting someone else.
Tips for Running Race for the Cure
If you are interested in this race next year here are a few tips:
Plan out parking before the race.
This was at Southdale Mall and it was a mess trying to find parking. I ended up parking at a local business which was closed on Sunday about 1/4 of a mile away from the start line. It got me away from the crowds and made for a really easy exit at the end.
Bring your friends!
If you have a group of people that want to participate together but not all of them are runners you can still have them join you in the 5K or participate in the walk (1K and 5K options) that happens about a bit over an hour after the run start time.
Consider joining or creating a team.
I saw lots of corporate teams. I joined KS95’s Team Moon and Staci which was open to anyone.
Wear pink!
This is your chance to put on that tutu or secure that pink boa onto your running belt. Everyone was wearing pink. Go ahead and get creative! I developed a whole outfit which even included custom painting my own running shoes.
Bring your own water.
There is no water on the course, but there is water at the end.
If you want post-race treats you’ll need to go to the Health Expo area.
Warning: There are a lot of people. If you don’t like crowds plan to get in and get out.
Run Race for the Cure!
In the end, this is a race where you have the opportunity to really make special! You can fundraise, build a team, create a spunky outfit, and run it in honor or memory of the folks you love.
