Race #2 The HoHo Half Marathon

Yesterday was the HoHo Half Marathon.  I had planned on running double the distance and making it 26.2, but the weather (and my body) had other plans. More about that later. 

We had a great turnout for the 3rd annual HoHo

This is a free race that I put on every year for the purpose of gathering goods for local organizations.  One year we collected food for the Regional Food Bank, one year we collected Twinkies for the Troops, and this year we collected personal hygiene items and food for City Rescue Mission. 
There is no fee for this event, but participants are asked to bring items for the given charity, as well as Hostess snacks to share. 
I started the event in 2012 when Hostess went out of business.  It was a farewell to this childhood memory. Then when they were bought out and brought back in 2013 I put on the race to welcome them back.  And now it's just tradition.  We gather to run together and to do a little bit of good for our community.  And we have a BLAST!!!

me starting early with only the deer and coyotes

I started early at 5:30 to try to get a half marathon done before everyone came out.  It was soooo humid and miserably windy outside, and my body was soooo fatigued from the 50 miler 2 weeks ago that it just didn't want to cooperate.  I walked a lot and just had fun walking around the mile paved loop in the dark.  I saw lots of deer and night critters and we all shared the early morning darkness together.

When everyone arrived we took a group photo, collected the food/personal product and money donations and then headed out for some miles.  I just hung around the aid station and talked with people as they came by.  It was SUCH a fun event!  My trunk was FULL of food and goods at the end (as well as my backseat) and we had collected $90 in cash.  Runners have such big hearts and are so amazing!

look at all that food (there is actual healthy food underneath all those HoHos)

me and two friends (that's a 20lb ham there in the middle)

So while it wasn't a marathon like I'd planned, it was a great event, and we did good for others...which is what this whole year is about anyway.  Win-win for everyone!! :) 


Peace and Running!! :)