I hear bells. Not like, real bells but those dinky ones that come attached to novelty elf hats. I hear a lot of them, like around 30 of 'em.

Let me explain...

*REWIND SOUND*

The scene outside of the Christopher Martins Restaurant on Sunday morning in New Haven, as cold as it may have been, was warming. Toys being donated to less fortunate kids, like, a lot of toys; people were decked out in red, green & white, there were ugly sweaters, Santa hats galore, a few reindeer get ups & even some Ginger Bread people. (they seemed half baked! Ha!)

This race was extremely important to me. 2 years ago it had been my very first race. It was an odd time, I had just lost an uncle that Tuesday & my head was a bit foggy, but after I crossed that finish line, my life changed. It was my first realization that running, for me, was an escape of sorts. I felt connected & a part of something, but still on my own, experiencing an elated solidarity. I feel that more & more with every run & of course, on race day. I'm an island. (Whoa dude, far out.)

Well this past race, was race number TEN for me!

The route provides perfect screen shots of the city of New Haven. Some really wonderful architecture, great buildings & you really get that feeling of running through a big city. The course is flat, with one mild incline somewhere after mile 2.

It's a full on race experience with the right amount of silliness, a friendly route & the challenge of cold weather. It's the type of race that truly captures the spirit of Christmas, the holidays & that magical "December in the city" feeling.

Oh, those bells that I mentioned... so I had my headphones in, playing Christmas jams & in between each song transition, where there would just be the sounds of my breathing, feet hitting pavement & general city noises, I heard all those chintzy bells. Well that right there, put a giant smile upon my beard.

Bloody Mary's at the start line & at the finish?... tables of those glorious Sea Hags that I love so much.

New Haven, JB Sports & Christopher Martins - you did it again! Cheers to you!

I'm Tony Cankles, reminding you to always say Please & Thankles.

#RunRoadsStayGrounded

Right around the mile 1 marker, I felt what runners everywhere, at some point, should feel during a race. Connected.

There I was, down the street from my parents house, where I spent my high school & "college" years being an absolute jackass, now running alongside about 2,000 other people (some of which were family) & it was as if we were one entity. And for those 30 or so minutes, we were. It was awesome. I was just staring ahead, at a sea of upbeat up-hillers & allowed myself to float along with all of them. 2,000 or so Pacing Partners. Hm. I like that.

If you ever want to feel a part of something, run a race.

This particular 5K is what some would classify as a "rolling" 5K aka... it's hilly. It has it's challenges but the route & the post race party are way worth it.

Great band, great community & of course, free beer.

Here at Pace And Pints, we like our beer.

Sure, there were Miller Lites, Guinness, some Cider nonsense... But lo & behold... a table of Sea Hags. (Queue light from above & heavenly harp sounds.)

My fastest sprint of the day, was to a wooden folding table flush with refreshingly hoppy IPA's made in my home state of Connecticut. Perfect beer for a post race, on a crisp aired, fall morning.

This was my 2nd time running this race, it was race #9 & it is my absolute favorite 5K. I even ran my 2nd fastest official time.

Run. This. Race. Especially if you live in Fairfield County, CT. It will be one of the greatest mornings of your life.

I'm Tony Cankles, reminding you to always say Please & Thankles.

#RunRoadsStayGrounded

Once you hear the bagpipes, the race begins...
Tucked away behind O'Neill's Pub in South Norwalk, before the start of the race, are about 900 runners & walkers - drinking water, bloody mary's & beer. If you're a local, you'd be hard pressed not to find a familiar smile in the crowd. Face painting & temporary tattoos for kids (& adults, cuz why not?) & plenty of good vibes to go around. The bagpipers march to the start line & the horn goes off.

Now, the course isn't an easy one. It's a rolling 5K, with many hills, one of which... quite steep. The route itself, lends for some great visuals - the Washington Street Bridge, the GIANT American Flag hoisted up by the Fire Department, the zig zagging outside of the Maritime Aquarium & it's surrounding areas... All great stuff. As I mentioned, there are few feet of flatness & many kilometers of climb. But the reward of the after party, is unlike any other.

Never after a race have I seen so much food! Burgers, hot dogs, macaroni salad, potato salad, ice cream, drinks of all sorts & all for free / the price of emission. The DJ kept the energy up & everyone was in great spirits.

It is important to note that this race is held in memory of Annie Curtin, who sadly, at the age of 6 suddenly passed away. The Curtin's have held this race in her honor over the past several years & this after party feels more like a Curtin Family barbeque. It is a celebration of life & spirit, unlike any other. 5K's seem to bring out the most of a community & this is no exception.
At it's core, this race will teach you perseverance & appreciation. Once you hear the bagpipes, you've reached the finish line.

I'm Tony Cankles, reminding you to always say Please & Thankles.
#RunRoadsStayGrounded

Look, this race is A LOT of fun. It absolutely embodies a wacky, silly ST. Patty's Day gathering & is very welcoming for everyone. For starters, there is a removable drink ticket right on your bib, that says to me - "Drink Up Buddy!" Post race, inside of the iconic Toad's Place (sweet rhyme) - there's a costume contest, a live band & a ton of post run food options.
People of all shapes & sizes come out for this Saint Patrick's kick off. I'm talkin' elite runners, walkers, casual runners, weekend warriors & I even saw a fully dressed storm trooper!
The course is simple to navigate, it has it's inclines but nothing too over bearing. With 2,000 plus runners it's easy to find your way up & back down Whalley Avenue. Whalley, itself has some steady but minor height to it & on the way to Toad's, you're certainly hitting a hill before you cross that finish line. And the finish line? PSH. Not only can you see it clear as day but you can really feel the energy from the crowd & other runners, who may already be enjoying their beers.
It felt like a way bigger race with the crowd, the colors, the music & the announcements over the speakers from local celebrities Chaz & Pam of "The Chaz & AJ Morning Show." JB Sports does a great job at making every 5K feel just as big as a 50K.
On a personal note, 2 years ago this was my 2nd race ever. As for last year, WPLR was kind enough to let me work the event with them & I got to announce the runners names at the finish line! (That is still one of my all time favorite race day memories.)
At the start this year, I was too slow getting my watch to sync with GPS, so I ran it "blind" so to speak & ended up beating my 5K personal record! WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! CAN I GET A HELL YEAH?!
Often I refer to Sunday morning races as "Run Church." It's not meant in a disrespectful way, just another quirky view of mine. I mean think about it, there's community, togetherness, moments of tranquility, self exploration & it takes faith to get up & push yourself. It's a spiritual release in many ways, if you allow it to be. Oh, but also beer.
I'm Tony Cankles, reminding you to always say Please & Thankles.
#RunRoadsStayGrounded