Avon Calling in Hartford
It was an invitation we couldn't refuse. Cathy Troisi invited Lorrie and me to go to the Avon Global Women's 10K in Hartford, Conn. on July 14. That's not to be confused with our RRCA Women's Distance Festival 5K race, which also has Avon as a sponsor. There is no longer an Avon Global women's 10K in NYC, so the closest races to our locale are Baltimore and Hartford, Conn.
We drove up on Friday, and found the trek to be about 4.5 to 5 hours from home (Albany to the Mass. Turnpike). Hartford is a big city with a calmer ambiance than we expected. The Friday evening pre-registration packet pick up was held at a Lady Footlocker in a nearby mall. The goodie bags contained the usual Avon samples, a nice tank top, a ChampionChip and coupons for Ryka shoes, a primary sponsor. We found Kathrine Switzer in the store, greeting runners & walkers, and the Ryka folks aggressively marketing their running and and walking shoes.
The race was held Saturday morning at Saint Joseph College, in West Hartford. It was a beautiful setting for the 10K race and the 5K walk. The campus was set on a quiet street, with lots of space and a nearby park. The 10K race was two loops, which included the park; the 5K one loop -- both races began together. The whole atmosphere was mellow, compared to the usual dog-eat-dog atmosphere of NYC road races.
On the grounds of St. Joseph College, Avon had set up one of the most feminine race expos I've ever seen. There was the usual massage tent, but there was an equally long line for manicures! Since Lorrie has no toenails, I have no finger nails and Cathy had other things to accomplish, we skipped that booth in favor of accepting free vitamins and telling off the staff of Sports Illustrated for Women that their magazine was not about sports; it was about glamour.
The race started at 9 a.m., with a field of about 1,500 to 2,500 (I can't recall) -- mostly beginners or non-competitive types. It was hot and sunny, which made it tough to hold a pace for too long on the moderately rolling course. Ironically, Cathy and I ran too fast, and Lorrie ran the controlled race. It seemed odd to be among so many women we didn't actually know, but the people were friendly. One heart-warming moment was an 80+ year old blind woman, running the 10K with her guide dog.
When we finished, we were greeted by men carrying ice water with lemon wedges on trays. We were served the drinks, and then they took the Chips off our laces.
As promised, the highpoint was the post-race refreshments: strawberry shortcake! All you could eat -- plus people aiming whipped cream at your selected bowl of strawberries. There was bottled flavored water and bagels too, but the shortcake was the best.
The results via Chip were out very quickly, and Lorrie and I were shocked to learn we actually won age-group awards: we were both 2nd in our age groups. We were called on stage, where we were presented with wrist watches (dressy watches; everyone received the same prize), and had our pictures taken. Kathrine Switzer also declared me the president of the Finger Lakes Runners Club, :"the" director of the WDF in Ithaca; and announced I had come all the way to Connecticut just to run her race (I'm sure the Connecticut Yankees were thrilled a New Yorker came to the party). Once again, it was all about me (sorry Lorrie!).
New Yorker Gordon Bakoulis (a masters) won the race in 35-ish. Lorrie ran a low 42; I ran a 50:03 and Cathy ran a 56:19.
A few last minute photos, back to the hotel to shower & change, and we were back on the road again.
Thank you, Cathy, for planning the trip. If you're looking for a nice women's 10K, Hartford really isn't that far away. For information, Avon's Web site is www.avonrunning.com.
-- Diane Sherrer
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