This Sunday (11/8/09) was year two for the Zooma Atlanta, and it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite races.  Zooma is a women’s race series that now includes Austin, Denver, Annapolis, and Atlanta. Brae Bradley started the series to empower women to live active, healthy, happy lives.  Men are allowed (even encouraged) to join.  But there’s no hiding it: this race is all about girl power.

COURSE:  There is a 5K (more about that later) and a Half-Marathon (which is what I ran).  The 13.1 mile course starts at Atlantic Station runs through downtown to Turner Field and ends back at Atlantic Station.  This course shows you a true Atlanta: the good, the bad, and the ugly.  You run by the Georgia Dome where you can smell tailgaters getting ready for the game; neighborhoods that are breathing life back into the area around Centennial Park, and Atlantic Station: proof you can turn a brownfield into a destination.  But you also run down Trinity where homeless are huddled with pillows in empty doorways; around potholes that mark most of the course; and a leaking water pipe (what’s more Atlanta?!).   It went by fast for me and I enjoyed the run, finishing in 2 hours, 4 minutes.

For the 5K review, I consulted by co-worker and first time EVER 5K runner, Duffie Dixon.  The night before, she told me her goal was to finish ahead of one person: “even if it’s a little old lady”.   She said the 5K course was great, the volunteers were awesome.  Her only complaint: “I really wish there was a porta-pottie on the course.”  (Her finish time was under 40 minutes.)

FOOD:  It seems like lots of local races are stingy in this area: Not the Zooma.  They handed me a fancy chocolate (can’t tell you what it was because I ate it already) at the finish line.  They had bananas, apples, and other regular race gear.  Panera Bread was a sponsor, so you also got an awesome breakfast sandwich and fruit salad.  Runners care about the food (even if they tell you they don’t), and this was as good as I’ve seen at any recent race.

Oh! They also had Luna Sport Chews on the course.  I never tried these before and figured “why not?” They tasted good, but were SOOOO chewy and sticky; I tossed them away after one chew.  I was still trying to get it out of my teeth when I passed a race photographer; cannot wait to see those photos!

T-SHIRT: Pink, short-sleeve, wicking-material running shirt. It has a cute logo with a peach that kind of looks like a heart.  This is clearly, a “girly” shirt; which reinforced the “girl power” feel.

CROWD:  It was small enough that it wasn’t crowded, and big enough that there was always someone behind me and in front of me.  AKA: perfect size.  The course was spotted with mostly men cheering on the mostly female runners.  Sons, husbands, boyfriends, and spandex-lovers were cheering runners when they passed.  Perhaps the only drawback to this race: very few spectators along the route.  Water stop volunteers were your best source of encouragement. 

Next Up: Thanksgiving Half-Marathon.  See you there!