It’s been two years since my last race and two years since I ran the Lawyers Have Heart 10K. This year was the 35th for the event, and my first leading my office team as a Silver Sponsor.
We even won our own tent in a fundraising challenge!
2025 Lawyers Have Heart 10K Race Recap
My main goal for this event was the fundraising—and thanks to my generous friends and colleagues—thank you!—I knocked that goal out of the park.
I raised enough to be invited to the VIP tent, and my team won the Silver Sponsor fundraising challenge prize—a tent at the venue on race day. That was a nice perk because we had both pre-race rain showers and post-race sunshine that the tent sheltered us from.
I enjoyed pre-race fruit and a mini-scone,
but my favorite offering in the VIP tent was the ice water. 💦
The 2025 course was similar to 2023, but in the opposite direction. That means we started with the Hains Point portion and finished with the Memorial Bridge just after mile 5.
I was glad the pre-race rain cleared out, but it left a lot of humidity behind. I actually enjoyed the headwind on Hains Point and suffered when it was over—so much that I took two short walk breaks. I was feeling like crap and my heart rate was spiking. 🥵 It didn’t take much to get my heart rate down again, and I kept plugging along.
My mile splits tell a sad story of a runner who doesn’t know how to pace herself anymore—and also reflect the walk breaks. Honestly, I think if it were cooler I would have been fine. The 9 mm miles felt good in the breeze. Even when I took breaks it wasn’t my legs complaining—my hamstring was totally silent! 🥳
Another excuse: after mile 4 we merged with the 5K course, so there were more people and strollers to weave around.
Are My Racing Days Over?
On my long walk back to my car, I wondered if I’d had fun. If you have to ask ….
I had fun recruiting and encouraging teammates from my firm. I enjoyed the pre-race and post-race atmosphere. Supporting the American Heart Association and the critical important work it does is important to me. But what about the running part? 🧐 I think next year I may go back to the 5K again. 🤣 Especially if the logistics are the same. There was no parking in the area, so I parked at my office—1.85 miles away!
Does it count as warm up when you do it an hour before the race?
One of my teammates took an Uber from our office to the race venue, but there were so many road closures I beat him there.
A huge thank you to Deborah and Kim for hosting the Weekly Run Down link up. I’m going to skip my recap, but am proud that I did give my legs a full day off on Friday—other than walking Scooby.
What’s your favorite race-day perk?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
I completely forgot the race was this weekend and I meant to donate to you and totally forgot-oops. Glad you hit your goal! It is always hot and humid this time of the year by us-nice job getting back at it. No excuses needed -congrats!
Congrats on completing your first race in two years, Coco! How wonderful to have a place of protection before and after the race, and congrats on earning an invitation to the VIP tent! Running the 5K instead of the 10K would allow you more time to enjoy the pre and post race festivities! 😉
Huge congrats on leading your team, crushing the fundraising goal and winning your own tent! Well done!
You got all the highs and lows from that race: pre-race scones (yes), mid-race swamp weather (less yes), and a great return to racing!
As for race-day perks: I don’t need ice but I would have gobbled down half of that spread that you had… I find those pastries very hard to resist!
Congrats!! I think you did great as my pace has plummeted and my walk are more frequent than my runs.
I continue to race. I love the pre-race excitement and the post race comraderie. The middle is a struggle as my body protests and my breathing labors.
The snacks look nice… I did a team race but nothing provided but water.
Congratulations! Races at this time of year are VERY hard, because it can be much warmer than the weather you trained in. Seems like you did great, and your racing days are not over- the 5K is still a race! Very glad your hamstring is all healed up (I wish I could say the same for mine!)
I think you did great, on so many levels! Especially, congrats on all your fundraising. Your passion for the American Heart Association is on par with mine for the American Lung Association 😉 It’s an honor to contribute to their efforts!
Running races has certainly been challenging in these later years–my mind still thinks I’m young and can run fast, but my body has different ideas. I think you did great! 10ks are a hard distance to race–I’ve switched to 5ks because it’s so much easier to pace myself! Nice job–such a meaningful race!