Krumpe's Donut Alley Rally 5k

When you walk down Do-Nut Alley and are greeted by the scent of freshly baked pastries, it is hard not to think that you have died and entered a heaven filled with glazed & cream-filled perfection. On top of that, you have an entire 5k devoted to that special treat, the doughnut. As a runner, this is the utopia we would all love to visit...and frequently.

This was my first Krumpe's Do-Nut Alley Rally 5k and it takes place in downtown Hagerstown, MD. The race begins just steps away from Krumpe's aka Do-Nut Heaven. So from the start, you are teased by the smell of deep fried decadence. All you can focus on is the 3.1 miles that comes between you and getting that fresh victory donut at the finish line.

Upon arriving, we were greeted with a downpour, but I welcomed it with open arms. Although many seemed displeased, I thought it felt amazing. Prior to arriving, I thought it was a bit too sticky out and the rain that we were getting seemed to alleviate some of that humidity. It, at least, reduced the temperature down below 80 degrees.

The rain let up to a sprinkle when runners approached the starting line and at 7:30 on the nose, we were off!

Screenshot (I'm in yellow) that aired on Herald-Mail.com

The runners that surrounded me bolted, while I held back from letting my adrenaline take over. I did not want to put too much pressure on myself since I have not performed at my top since surgery. I had a goal of finishing within 28 minutes so I kept my pace easy.

As I rounded the street corners, I noticed that I was beginning to catch some of the runners that left me in the dust at the beginning. I have been there and experienced that just in my last race, the Run for Freedom 5k in Williamsport. I jumped the gun from the start and lost all my energy within the first mile.

After my first mile, my curiosity took over and I glanced at my GPS watch (something I was trying to avoid) and noticed my pace was stronger than I anticipated. I was sitting on an 8 minute mile. I panicked briefly, thinking I was going to drain myself halfway in, but continued to keep pace

I passed several townspeople who were cheering the runners on from their homes. I thrive off of that support. The applause and the encouragement is definitely appreciated. Though, as I was nearing the end, I saw my parents and that was something I could not have been happier about! I waved to them and heard my dad yell "GO LINDSEY!" I smiled from ear to ear. It pushed me even harder.

I did not know that I was approaching the finish line until I literally saw the arc in sight. It was a downhill straight right to the end. I kept my eye on the timer. It was seconds away from 25 minutes. I knew that I was seconds behind gun point so I was not sure if I would make it in time.

I checked my watch after crossing and saw 24:57. I was stunned!

I greeted Peter with a victory hug! This was the 2nd fastest 5k I have ever run and you are right if you guessed that I celebrated with a Krumpe's Do-Nut!

A powdered cream-filled donut, to be exact!

Here are the rest of my official stats...

I finished 4th in my age group out of 62.
I placed 105th out of 561 runners.
I was the 25th woman to cross the finish line.

It was a good race and I look forward to doing the 4th Annual Krumpe's Do-Nut Alley Rally next year!