Hilltop Hustle
Lawrence, KS
- 5K, 1K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The annual Hilltop Hustle will take place this June and will begin at 8:00am at Hilltop Child Development Center. All participants (who register prior to 5/23) are guaranteed to receive a custom Hilltop t-shirt. Awards will be given out for the top 3 overall M/F finishers. All proceeds from the … MORE
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Another box checked
So there aren't a lot of races this weekend. If you're a junkie like me that's a problem, so I went for a much longer drive than I'd normally do … MORE
So there aren’t a lot of races this weekend. If you’re a junkie like me that’s a problem, so I went for a much longer drive than I’d normally do for a 5k I’d never heard about before. Hilltop Hustle sounds promising and a lot of fun, so why not. Well, there were certainly some kinks, and this wasn’t an inaugural race, so there’s really no excuse for that.
Apparently the race course changed from what was sent out the day before due to construction on campus. That couldn’t have been coordinated beforehand? Not just because I like to look at the course beforehand so I know what is coming when, but because now we’re running by a row of dumpsters. In the middle of June. Add to that the fact that there was a short out and back loop we were supposed to do that nobody pointed out until the second lap, because the first lap the volunteer told us to go left when we should have gone right. Since our time was far too fast I did the loop twice on the second lap, but that should have been cleared up in rehearsal. There WAS a rehearsal, right? Dumpster Street aside, it was a pretty jaunt through KU campus and had one great hill in the latter half of the loop that was challenging and enjoyable to conquer on a small race like a 5k and this could have gone much better, it just seemed like a lot of phoning it in.
Also, I feel like with the rise of the virtual race, especially since COVID, finisher medals have really become the norm, even on 5ks, and this race didn’t have any. It was a cheap (inexpensive) race, so I understand that, but I’d pay the token amount more for a good medal, especially when so many in the community are doing it just for that reason, for the swag. As a fundraiser event, one would think more people joining would be advantageous, especially since the width of the course would allow for turnout of multiples what I saw there. No water points on the track and only bottled water at the finish line is inexcusable for a summer race, even if it is a 2-lap 5k, if for no other reason than because of the big hill and the fact we were racing in a large thermal-mass brick course. I greatly prefer in person races to virtual ones, but without a massive overhaul I can’t imagine I couldn’t find a virtual to support that I’d enjoy more for this day next year if there remains no other in-person races to pick. Go forth at your own peril.