Back in July, the Twin-City Track Club hosted their annual Beat the Heat 5K—a summer tradition that draws an impressive crowd, including visiting runners from other Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) groups. This year, my husband Brandon and I (Monica) were among those visitors, traveling from the Lynchburg Road Runners Club to experience the event firsthand.
I first met Alicia, Marisa, and Race Director Er back in April at the RRCA National Convention in Minneapolis. Our clubs immediately clicked, and with Winston-Salem only about two and a half hours away, we decided to make a day trip to support their club and join in on the fun.
One of the unique things about Beat the Heat is its evening start time—a welcome change during the summer months when you are battling heat and humidity. Before the race, we explored downtown Winston-Salem, wandered through parts of Reynolda Gardens, and enjoyed lunch with Alicia and Marisa at Village Tavern. While steak tacos may not have been the ideal pre-race fuel, they were worth every bite. After lunch, we explored the gardens further and stopped by the Quarry Park—one of many beautifully designed, free public parks that make North Carolina special. To cool off before the race, we relaxed for a bit at the local mall.
Just as we arrived at the race venue, the skies opened in a massive downpour. Er did a fantastic job communicating with participants through RunSignUp’s email alerts, letting everyone know about the weather delay. We waited out the worst of it in our car, and about 30 minutes later the rain eased. Then it was time to head into the fairgrounds for packet pickup and the pre-race festivities.
With bibs in hand and a quick visit to the sponsor tents, we stretched and got ready to run. The road was still slick and the air a touch heavy, but the rain had cooled things by nearly 20 degrees, leaving us with mid-to-high 70s—not too bad for a July race. After cheering on the next generation in the Youth Mile Race, it was our turn to run! My time was about two minutes slower than usual—perhaps due to the tacos or all the sightseeing earlier—but I was pleased to place 5th in my age group. Brandon’s pace was also a little slower, but we both loved the course. It was clearly marked, well-supported with water stations, and had a great atmosphere.
After the finish, we enjoyed the generous post-race spread—pizza, sandwiches, and brownies—before finding a good spot to watch the elite 5K. The level of talent was incredible! This year, Andrew Colley set a new North Carolina men’s record, and his wife, Tristin Colley, won first place in the women’s elite field. The energy from the crowd was electric as these athletes flew around the fairgrounds course.
Before we left, Alicia—who had been an absolute superstar helping with the elite packet pickup and weather delays—surprised us with oatmeal cream cookies from her favorite bakery, the perfect treat for our drive home after an exciting day of exploring and racing.
All in all, the Beat the Heat 5K was everything a runner could ask for: well-organized, welcoming, fabulous pre and post hospitality, and filled with runners of all ages and abilities.
We’ll definitely be back next summer for Beat the Heat—but that’s not all! One of the event sponsors, Junction 311 Endurance Events, held a race entry giveaway that I entered just for fun. To my surprise, I won! So, we’ll also be heading back in April for the CraftHalf Half Marathon.