Season’s 52 Park Avenue 5.2k

This was my first year participating in this 5.2K race and while I wish that Mother Nature was a little kinder with the amount of rain that poured down on race day, I had a great time!
Track Shack partners with Seasons 52 every year and puts on this annual race set in picturesque Winter Park on Park Avenue. I always feel like Track Shack does a great job at organizing races and this was no exception. Registration and packet pickup was smooth and easy as always and included an information sheet with race details including parking.
The race starts on Park Avenue and winds through some beautiful Winter Park neighborhoods. It’s a mix of concrete and cobblestone roads and I was a little worried about runners slipping with the rain. Otherwise, it was a great course. I really loved that there were time clocks at each mile marker to let me know how I was doing– while I’m no fast runner, it kicked my booty into gear every time I came upon a time clock. Easy motivation.
After the race there is a huge setup in Central Park with many running related vendors. Seasons 52 was giving out mini desserts so there was a long line to snag one as well as KIND bars being given out. They really pushed runners and spectators to use the Seasons 52 hashtag when posting online due to the social media contest they were having. In addition, every 52^nd person to come through the finish line won a $ 52 gift card to, you guessed it, Seasons 52! On a side note, I was at Track Shack the following week and happened to see the chart with the list of runners who were winners… and lo and behold, I was on there! I had no earthly idea and it seems doubtful they would’ve emailed me directly about. So probably a good idea for them to consider contacting the winners by email since it’s so crazy the day of… or you can take it upon yourself to call or stop by just to make sure!

I never think twice about signing up for a race when Track Shack is the organization coordinating it. They always do a great job and keep our running community always looking forward to the next race. Now, when you add in Seasons 52 as a sponsor, and offer dessert after a run– sign me up!
This was a great race, starting and ending on Park Ave and winding through the Winter Park neighborhood nearby. It was a cold rainy Saturday morning, but we lucked out and didn’t have to deal with any thunderstorms. The rain, for most part, held out for the duration of the race.
I didn’t mind that the route was through a neighborhood on brick roads, as I am training for a half and need to get some uneven road experience in. Since this was a 5.2k, there were time clocks not only at the mile markers, but at the 5k mark, which was nice.
My one petty disappointment of the day was, again, they didn’t announce my name at the finish line. I don’t know why, but I must have my Harry Potter invisible cloak on when I pass the finish line at these races. Every time my name gets missed! Also, the water station was set up farther into the race than I thought the course map showed, and after the race it was hard to get water. I had to track a volunteer down to get a bottle. Maybe next year have the volunteers closer to the finish line and ready to go. All of this could’ve been due to the bad weather. Definitely not normal for a Track Shack race.
After the run my friends and I indulged on the blue berry lemon cream dessert shots from Seasons 52. Very tasty! And nice and refreshing after our run. Seasons 52 also gave out bags and coupons for free small plates, and the Kind Bar folks were giving away samples. Not too shabby for an early Saturday morning race!

Well, this is the second time I do the Season’s 52 race and this time around it was better than in previous years. The last time I attended the race, you wouldn’t know that it was a restaurant that was hosting the event as they didn’t have any of those delish desserts, and this time around they also had nice little drawstring bags as souvenirs so it’s good to see they’re not as stingy as before.
Yes, it’s still well organized, they start on time, tracking of race time also seems accurate and overall I’d say it’s worth it as the community comes together as a whole to stay fit.

This was my second Track Shack 5k. As everyone says, Track Shack is so organized with these events that it’s really helpful to a beginner like me. They had more than enough staff to handle the crowds and everyone was helpful in guiding me around.
A good portion of this race was throughout brick laid back roads of Winter Park. Beautiful homes and scenery make it pleasant to look at but I must say the brick roads were hard on my feet. If the bricks were hard, the port potties were murder. Ugh, someone has got to come up with a better idea to advance these torture devices. This is not Track Shacks fault, it’s just a matter of fact.
I truly did have a great time here and can’t wait for the next race in March (my first 10k!). I’ll just remember to pee before I leave home. :/

track shack does a really great job in organizing races. Registration, packet pickup, was so easy for this 5K race.
This race was super crowded! Okay. Several issues– not with the race itself, but with everything that goes with races. Why are you bringing your dog on a leash in between hundreds and hundreds of people crowding in a little space? I got so annoyed at whoever thought this was a good idea. I think perhaps, it might have been a little bit more manageable if these start corrals were a little bit more spaced out.
Next issue. Cobblestone. I mean, it is Winter Park, and cobblestone it is really nice for It’s charming qualities, however it’s not very practical — especially for running. I’m really not a fan of running on cobblestone, so as much as I could, I use the sidewalk.
Third issue. there needs to be some universal etiquette regarding running races. It needs to be like driving, or like moving walkways at the airport. Slow on the right, fast on the left — single file. If people simply follow this very simple concept, everyone would be a lot happier. This would greatly reduce the amount of people weaving that I had to do in order to get away from people who want to have conversations regarding their ex-​husbands, and when their leases end.
the vendors, volunteers, and the refreshments were really nice and well run. I have no complaints about that at all. Photographers were available to take pictures. This is why it is so important to make sure your race bib is pinned correctly on your shirt –so identifying you in professional pictures will be easier.
Every 52^nd person that crossed the finish line received a $ 10 gift card to seasons 52. I was not one of those people — I was one of the unfortunate 53^rd person to finish. That is just wrong.
however, I’m willing to take that one for the team, because this race benefits the boys and girls club.