The Wicked Running Register December 2012 • Priceless
EST. JAN 2010
Ladies’ Night Out 5k in Newburyport (December 15, 2012) Melissa “MJ” Jaynes
Say what? Did you say road race, chocolate, champagne, and girlfriends? Count this cat in!
Some highlights (glows, as you might say): • The race was easy to sign up for. • You received multiple confirmation and updated information emails. • The course itself was a flat course through Newburyport with a segment along the water and the mile markers were perfectly marked. • The volunteers were all men and were wearing suits (tuxes was the plan but that is hard for a volunteer and suits seemed fine with most the ladies). • The finish zone included a red carpet where finishers received red carnations, a commemorative wine glass, and a candy from Harborsweets in Marblehead (for those of you who are chocolate connoisseurs). • Runners received a ¾ pullover (first couple hundred) or a cotton T-shirt • The post-run after party was complete with a DJ; champagne and wine from Barefoot; fondue and other food including fuse drinks (a brand), mini croquettes (think spread on bread), chicken kabobs, and even pizza; and some vendors. The DJ was awesome! Some areas for improvement (grows, as you might say): • This race was expensive. $65 bucks for a 5k is about 3x what I personally am willing to pay…they had me with chocolate and champagne but it is still a bit too high for what was currently the delivered product so to speak. • The race was untimed; this is completely fine for a fun girls’ night out, but it was a hidden detail, and for $65 might have been nice to know upfront. There was a clock at the finish so you knew your time, just no official results. • No water. Yes, it is a December race, but maybe add just 1 stop? • I recommend race directors try on the shirts they order. As Treasurer I get that shirts can be a huge financial issue, but the cut of the ¾ pullovers was weird (seemed sack-like with a tighter bottom hem than the rest of the shirt). The cotton T-shirts, however, were actually very nice from what I could tell. • The post-party venue was a bit cramped. Maybe rearrange some of the tables or something? I am not sure, but just a thought if you wanted to expand. Capping the race with this in mind was a good idea for B&S. Picture 400 women shoulder to shoulder after running a race and fighting over chocolate and champagne (easy there boys!). Could get ugly…MEOWWWRRRR! 3.5 out of 5 cats
Looking fabulous at Ladies Night Out (l to r): Meghan Toomey, Melissa Jaynes and Paula Renzi Gibbs.
Caveat to this review: I vowed a few years ago that I would never run another B&S hosted race due to issues with multiple races and the response I personally received when I wrote a letter to them. This was such a nice concept that I decided to give them another chance. While still overpriced, even with the increased swag and with a few bumps, I think this race could be a very fun annual event for the queens (female adult cats—I swear, Wikipedia it!).