Just as I have discovered a new found love of running and racing, I have also rediscovered my love of a well made craft beer. I was thrilled when I got an email about the Super Hero 5k for a few reasons. One, I wanted to venture outside of Maine for a race. Two, Mayflower Brewing was a sponsor and would be providing refreshments. Three, I wanted to put a team together not only to receive the VIP swag, but also to step out of my comfort zone and be more social. While I ran a great race and was able to PR, the overall race experience proved to be disappointing (to be fair, a small part of that is because everyone that said they were going to run with me ended up backing out).

After signing up, I noticed on the website that the only thing listed for packet pick up was the day before. Being over an hour away, that really wasn't going to work for me. After contacting the race director, I was told we could pick up our number the day of. This, and the easy parking, proved to be two of the better things about the race. We parked on the street (free on Sundays!) right at the start line and got our numbers quickly.
The other positive was the course itself. After a couple of quick turns at the start, there were long stretches of completely straight road. This, along with the relatively flat course, led to a PR. While you don't have to slow down for sharp turns like in many races, I actually found the long straight aways (how the heck do you spell that?!) mentally tough. I felt as though I was running the wrong way on a conveyor belt.
I also enjoyed the race management, RaceWire. Within 5 minutes of finishing, I received an email with my stats, as well as a text with a link to overall race results.

Now for the bad. I found the swag to be extremely minimal, both for entering and for post race. All who registered got a long sleeve tech tee that had the race logo across the front. Though the tag says XL, the shirt doesn't even come close to being big enough. After the race, the only things available were bottled water, a company handing out all natural vegetable juices (not my cup of tea!), and the beer. In regards to the beer, they had three different styles. Maybe being from Maine and having so many outstanding breweries so close I am a bit spoiled, but the beer was not good. Perhaps the most disturbing part was that there was nobody checking ID's or how many each person took.

VIP Swag.
This is what got me to sign up in the first place. If you had 15 people register as a team by a certain date, you got a tent set up for your team to use before and after the race, and the tent was to be stocked with cases of beer. This sounded like a great perk to me. In hindsight, I think I would have been upset about having cases of bad beer, so I am glad everyone backed out!

I realize this review is a bit salty, but after paying the $39 entry fee, I simply expected much more than what I got from the overall experience. There is potential for this to be a great race, but they need to change a lot of things.

Overview:
Hugs from Hayley began in 2008 after Hayley Desjardins was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow disease and was called Hugs for Hayley. After numerous successful treatments and a positive experience, the family changed the name and directed all proceeds to the Maine Children's Cancer Program. Since 2008, almost $90,000 dollars has been raised as a result of the race. I decided to run this for the first time because I had Hayley's younger sister as a student, and because I needed a race for September (I have a goal of running at least one race a month). There is also a 2.5 mile walk as well as a kids run.

Experience:
For a local race, this provides a great experience for all levels of runners. The course is a fairly simple out and back that travels into Old Orchard Beach before returning to the Elks lodge in Saco. The first mile and half provide a gradual decline in elevation, which could get you in trouble on the return trip if you are not careful with your pace, like I was. I think there were two water stops, but to be honest I don't remember. I usually do not take water during a 5k, so I tend to ignore them. After turning around, you cut through a small side street before returning back to the finish. The finish provides a gradual incline, so if you started to fast, like I did, there is definitely the potential for hitting the wall.
Like many 5k's in the area, SWAG is pretty much limited to a t-shirt. What elevated the rating to 3 stars were the age group awards and post race BBQ. There were a ton of burgers and hot dogs, as well as pretty much every desert imaginable. The age group awards were pint glasses with the Hugs From Hayley Logo on them. Surprising to me was that I actually won my age group! Being more of a clydesdale, I never thought this would happen!
The atmosphere for this race, in my opinion, was outstanding, especially around the start/finish area. It has become a community event, and there is a ton of positive energy from participants, volunteers, and spectators. As an added advantage, if you are fortunate enough to be the elementary physical education teacher in town, you will have every kid there from third grade and up cheering for you!
If you are looking for a race that provides a ton of swag and great scenery, this may not be high on your list. If you are looking to have a great time, both in performance and experience, this is definitely a race you should add to your calendar. The fact that all proceeds go to a great cause is a huge added bonus.