Packet pick-up on Saturday, the day before the race was good. The pick-up was a four hour window to visit the expo, get your numbers and other race packet goodies.
The area of Tempe Beach Park is always a little congested being in the middle of downtown Tempe. Parking in a nearby parking structure was easy.
Even though I had printed out to bring with my, my daughter and myself’s race registration information, to make picking our packets up faster, the race send out an email the morning of as a reminder. Inside the email was again our race numbers and a QR code if needed during the packet pick-up. First, you picked up your race number , which was split up into different lines. Then you moved to a line where the shirts and rest of the packets were being handed out. This line was a little long, but moved pretty quick.
From there I walked around the expo and checkout of a few booths.
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| Waiting near the start line |
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| Down the home stretch to the finish line |
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| Checking out the finish line are before the race |
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| Finisher Medals |
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| WonderWomen at the start line |
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| Looking down the start line |
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| Looking backward from the start line where we lined up |
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| Entertainment stage in Tempe Beach Park |
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| On the course, doing great |
Race Day
I parked in the same parking structure, I used for packet pick-up, which was designated for race participants. I arrived there about 7:15am with my daughter. This was the first race I was about to run with my nine-year-old daughter. We walked down to the expo/stage area and I showed her the course on a map they had posted. We walked around and checked out the finish line area before heading to line up for the start.
We gathered pretty close to the start line and went over our game plan again. I was going to let her set the pace and follow what she did. If she needed water, I had some in my pack for her, or she could grab some along the course route. We were signed up and doing the 5K, but the race also offered a 10K distance.
With the energetic party atmosphere of the start line area, with blood pumping music and everyone decked out in Wonder Woman gear, it was exciting. There was some great messages and numerous reasons said up on the start line podium on why people were running the DC Wonder Woman Run. I was there to support my daughter and combine it with the love of being active.
The start happened right at 9am and course was great. With the 9am start, the latest, I have ever started a race, it had a calm relaxed feeling to it. Tracking the distance on my GPS the aid stations, very well stocked, were spaced every mile. The 10K runners followed our route until about the last half-mile, where they separated from us to go the longer distance.
A race director announced before the beginning of the race that 4,000 runners where taking to the course, the roads and pathways the race were just right, not being overly crowded and nowhere to move around other runners if you were to pass them, or be passed.
My daughter did great for her first 5K. I was very proud of her. She kept an average pace of just over a 12 minute mile. Honestly, when I were her age, I don’t know if I could have even covered that distance, let alone that pace.
We crossed the finish line together!. We filtered through to get our finishers medal and the food and drinks before relaxing by the entertainment stage. We then remembered that Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Gabby Douglas, who was there and holding a meet and greet after the finish. We lined up and she was able to meet her and give her a hug.
After that we hung out for a little bit before heading home.
"Disclaimer: I received free entry to DC Wonder Woman Run Series race in Tempe, AZ as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"
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