Cornwell Center 5K (4 miles)

It's been a while... I haven't ran since the July 12th 4 Miler race... and as fate would have it this turned out to be a 4 miler also.

When the route/cones were laid out early in the AM, a misdirect... or two... caused the route to be longer than originally planned. Dedicated runners, who measure their own distance and time, calculated 3.8 miles for the full route which was supposedly corrected mid-race, but volunteers admitted they were not made aware of the change and many critical turns had no volunteer present for direction. For an accurate measure, I am using 4 miles for distance and timing.

The chartered path was, nonetheless, absolutely charming. It's definitely upper end Charlotte in this particular area of Myers Park and it is the original elite neighborhood for the Queen City. The landscaping was immaculate, homes meticulously groomed, complete with iron gating, georgian / plantation style verandas, which were not to be outdone by the stately columned mansions along the way. The run was well worth the view and complimented by the relaxed environment.

Queen City timed the race using the electronic chip system. The clock was running prior to the race start, giving approximately a 2 min overage plus the chips were not used for start times, only for stop times. My time, posted by Queen City was 55:50. I made adjustments both for the correct distance and the correct start time. 53:50 for 4 miles gives a pace of 13:38 overall, and had it been a genuine 5K, my time would have been close to 41:29, which is only an estimate since the pace would have changed as the distance grew longer.

Hurricane Hannah was on the radar making the morning overcast and breezy, just perfect for a run! As for the Fall Family Festival after the race - this event is solely for small children and small groups. There were about 4 activities, a petting zoo, and a pottery sale at the event. The new director was still acclimating herself to the challenges of a well organized event. Good luck to the Cornwell Center and may their future events only get better!