Is it really summer fun?

I started running about 4-1/2 years ago and the 5k race was my area of concentration for the first few years and continues to be a fun race to test fitness. Most events take place on weekend mornings but Middletown is home of the Citizen's Bank Not your Typical 5k that takes place on a weeknight.

This year would be my 5th year of participation in the event which has certainly lived up to it's name of not being a Typical 5k. Most mature races seem to stick with their certified course year after year allowing particpants to judge there results against past perfomanances, in Middletown however they seem to change the course quite often and even went as far as changing the name for 2010.

As I set out to write this post I expected I would definitely be running the race on Wednesday but as I reflect back on the history my mind is being swayed to stay away. Back in 2007 I was soaked just getting my bib although George Souto and my wife Sandra came out to watch.

In July of 2008 I was in primo shape after finishing my first Marathon and was anticipating a record breaking run in Middletown but instead the stink of diesel did me in.

The other consideration pushing me away from this event is the entry fee. Tossing down a twenty to run a few miles is pretty standard and although the economic conditions have not improved during the past few years the Citizens Bank 5k has been pushing the limit and now demands a $30 race day entry fee. At that price I think I'll just run around my neighborhood and then go out to dinner.

Dan Cummings, Connecticut's Running Real Estate Agent