Firecracker Fast 5k

FLEET FEET SPORTS EASY RUNNER FIRECRACKER FAST 5K

This is such a great way to start off Independence Day! 

And it was just a week before the race when Sean and I were fretting that not many people had signed up and we had ordered 1300 shirts.  But luckily the weather showed signs of being a perfect Little Rockmorning to run in July.  So much so that over 1400 people participated making it the biggest Firecracker Fast 5k to date!  Additional shirts are being printed as I write this, so if you didn’t get your shirt you can like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FleetFeetEasyRunner) for all the latest information.  (Okay, a definite plug, but I have to tell you where to find the information – or you can call us 501-221-0017).

Since I was at our Finish Line handing out firecrackers to the first fifty men (Sean handed them to the women) and medals to our No Boundaries Participants, I loved watching Nicholas’ footage of the starting line.  It was awesome to see so many people coming through the start line at one time!  It took my breath away.

The finish line was a little more spread out with runners, but equally impressive.  The first person to cross the line was Tim Richard in15:37.  It looked like he could keep his 5:02/mile pace forever.

 Lucky 13, Erika Seltzer, fromConway, was the first female to cross the line.  Her pace was a5:31/mile which had her cross with a time of17:07.  Another elegant runner, making her run seem effortless.

Then came the masses, the people like me (or slightly faster…okay a lot faster) cross the line.  They weren’t as elegant, but determined to get their own personal record.  This is the runner that was running for the Firecracker, with just fifty for the men and fifty for the women, it was a push.  And these people are fast!  Bob McCallan, a Masters runner from Little Rock, was the last male to get a Firecracker – and he was booking it at 6:17/mile pace!  Amazing!!  Kallesta Roberts, from Vilonia, was the last female to get a Firecracker at an awesome7:33/mile pace.  We were so excited for all the runners who were able to get a Firecracker and awed by their speed!

Intermingled with the other runners going for their PR were my peeps from our No Boundaries group.  This is a group that has been training for eleven weeks specifically for the Firecracker Fast 5k.  For many, this was their first 5k ever and the first time they had raced on their own.  They all did awesome and improved soooo much from 11 weeks earlier – and I am talking minutes off their pace/mile.  They each received a No Boundaries medal for their great effort.

We had many EXCELLENT volunteers who arrived early to help set up, cut watermelon, oranges and bananas.  Everyone had smiles on their faces and a bounce in their step for such an early hour.  We couldn’t have done it without them! 

This was Gary Smith’s last Firecracker Fast 5k that he will put on.  He taught us what he has learned over the last 37 years and passed the reins to us.  We will be putting this traditional race on for years to come and have some ideas to make it even more fun (if that is possible!)  Thank you for being part of this race. We hope to see you all again next year!

Just a thought:  Has anyone participated in all 37? 

We are hoping Gary Smith will now be able to be a participant in the 38^th annual Firecracker Fast 5k…no pressure, there, Gary!

Keep moving!

Noelle & Sean Coughlan