Leprechaun Chase 10K - 2024 recap

The luck o' the Irish? The luck o' the Chase?

Maybe it was a little o' both, but this past weekend had me donning o' the green and me running shoes and pinning on a race bib. This was my 10th time taking part and I was eager for a good time...

Now in its 14 year, the Leprechaun Chase is a race like none other. It's a friendly competition between lads and lasses (in other words, guys and gals) all on a quest for a first place finish and a celebratory free green beer for their comrades.

I'm no stranger to this event. Prior to 2020, there also had been a Des Moines-based Leprechaun Chase, which I had run six times  (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019).  When the sponsoring company decided to discontinue the Des Moines Chase, I ventured to Omaha in 2020 (I had won a free registration from the previous year's Des Moines event). That had been my first time "racing and chasing" on Nebraska soil (2020 recap HERE). In 2021, as things were starting to open back up, the Chase was relocated to Papillion (which allowed for more social distancing practices). I took a  pass in 2022, but I returned last year (2023 recap HERE) and gave it another go since it was back at its original location, the SAC Museum (in nearby Ashland).

With a 4:00 start time, Barb and I elected to make the 3-ish-hour trip to Omaha (and vicinity) just on race day, then drive back home afterwards. We arrived at the SAC (Strategic Air Command Museum) shortly after 3:00, to find a nasty traffic jam awaiting us. Unbeknownst to the Chase peeps, another event  had been booked at the SAC as well, causing an unforeseen parking nightmare. Things were handled in an organized manner, but it did cause a 20-minute delay on the start time.

The delay was a blessing, though, because it gave us a little extra time to walk around, stretch our legs, and check-out a few of the aircraft on display.

   

Due to the delayed start, and overly crowded conditions, it was difficult lining up. A fun and unique aspect, since the SAC is essentially an aircraft hangar, is the ceremonial opening of the hangar door, revealing the the "split" start line...lads to the left, lasses to the right.

    

Barb and I were crowded way far back, and it was a very slow shuffle making our way outside, to the start line. As mentioned, this race is actually a good-natured chase. The gals get a head start, then 5-1/2 minutes later, the guys are released to "chase" them. Only, with our slow walk to the start line, well after the "GO!" command, we'd barely made it across said start line when the lads took off after the lasses.

Usually, with the 5-1/2-minute delay, I'm well past the first mile marker when the first herd of guys pass me...but not this time, LOL.

The first mile took us around to the front of the SAC and through one of the parking lots before venturing, briefly, over some grass and crushed gravel as we made our way towards the twisting and turning path(s) through Mahoney State Park. There was a lovely tailwind pushing us...which, of course, meant it would be a nasty headwind on the way back.

Speaking of the wind, holy yowza, was it ever windy! The previous three years of running this race had been laden with crazy wind, and this fourth time was no exception. Thankfully, the temps were warm and the sunshine was beautiful. 

Since the guys had started pretty much only a few seconds after myself, the Chase never felt like a "chase," LOL. Instead, it was basically a regular race from my perspective (nothing wrong with that). The route had numerous cones separating the the "runners" from the "chasers" for the first couple miles (all in good fun). I chaser-fess, that I may have strayed into the chasing lane (with the lads) a few times to to get around some of the herd in the other lane.

So, up and down, and around and round we ran. I didn't have any grandiose finish time goals for this  (other than finishing under an hour), due to the hilly course, the constant twists and turns, and the 20mph sustained wind. A good thing, with all the changes in direction(s), was that it kept us from having a constant headwind to battle (though I never had a true sense of which direction I was going).  

We'd had a water station right before the 2-mile mark (thank goodness, because I was so thirsty!), and then found ourselves on the eastern side of the park for the third mile. We were treated to a an awesome downhill, and a couple of wooden walking bridges, before switching directions (again) and taking on a huge climb for the fourth mile.

The fifth mile was probably the toughest for me, mentally, because it just kept curving. We'd get around one curve, only to have another waiting for us (on an incline, nonetheless).

Finally, the sixth mile! Although it was the homestretch, and I was feeling pretty strong and my pace steady, it still was a l-o-n-g journey back to the SAC grounds. We also had the gravel path and steep grassy hill awaiting us before we were back on the concrete parking lot. Although I was able to run the entire race course (other than a couple of 5-second walk breaks through the water stations), I white-flagged it, briefly, on that final grassy hill. In all honesty, I knew I could walk the steep incline much faster than I could run it (how's that for a racing strategy, LOL).

Anyways, I made it back to the pavement for the final jaunt around the parking lot. Let's not forget the headwind was there until the final last curve (near the 6-mile mark), then it was a (somewhat) simple sprint to the finish line.

...and done! Whew! As always, it felt incredible to to cross the timing mat and make it through the finish line chute. 

Although I didn't get a PR, my finish time was comparable to the other two times on this particular route, 56:43 (2020) and 57:20 (2023). I'm very happy with the 58:52 (official race time showed 58:48), especially since the wind was so brutal.

My splits tell the true story of the hills and the wind: 9:17 /9:27 / 9:01 /9:40 / 9:37 / 9:31 (and 2:20 for the final .26). 

My stats:

it doesn't show it here, but there were 1,822 total participants!

Care to check out the elevation?

Huge thanks to Barb (on the left), who's always game for these kind of adventures. And, it was great reuniting with Nicole (on the right) whom I met at the 2021 Chase (and have stayed in contact with via social media). 

  

As for swag, there was an early bird option to upgrade to a short-sleeve tech shirt (pictured on Nicole, above) or a long-sleeved t-shirt hoodie (which is what I went with). Not pictured is the cute glass pint with the event logo and a map of the race course.

Is it any wonder I keep returning to this event? I'm really sad the Des Moines event isn't around anymore, but the road trip to Omaha is well worth it for all the fun this event brings with it. Besides, it's fun pretending to be Irish for a day!

Have you ever done a St. Patrick's-themed race? Did you dress in the requisite green gear (I hope so!)? Ever done a race with a "chase" format? BTW, the lads won this year!

I'm linking this with Zenaida and Jenn for the TuesdayTopics Linkup. 

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