WCS Run for the Wild

This past Saturday was the Run for the Wild at the Bronx Zoo, a fundraising event for the Wildlife Conservation Society.  I love races like this for so many reasons! For one, it's held at a cool location.  Who doesn't want to say they got to run around a zoo?  Also, it's for a good cause.  I'm not great at math but if there were ~5,000 runners/walkers, who each raised a minimum of $30...that means the event raised at least $150,000 for the endangered lions and other wildlife! Awesome.

The run started at 8am, so I met up with Dad and my sister-in-law bright up and early.  It was 40degrees (feels like 33!), which pretty much made this the coldest race I've done since January! Crazy! 

Me, Dad & the SIL

The race itself wasn't much of a "race".  It wasn't timed and was really meant to be a "fun" run.  Even if we wanted to really run it, we couldn't have.  The course followed the walking paths of the zoo, so it was only about 6 feet wide at any given point.  Combine that with lots of people lacking any running etiquette, and there was no way we could get through the crowds to race.  But that's okay, sometimes.  It was still a nice run on a beautiful day! It was really cool to be run 3.1 miles surrounded by giraffes and zebras.

Oh, and my two cousins ran too! This was their first 5K run and they killed it.  I'm so proud! 

Congrats, ladies! What are we running next?! :)

I do have to say, this race wins the award for best post-run fuel! (I don't know who gives that award out, but the Run for the Wild deserves to win it.) Seriously, they had mini bagels (sesame, poppy, plain, cinnamon raisin), muffins, Greek Yogurt, Odwalla bars, bananas, apples, water AND Powerade! No joke! 

The best perk of this race (besides the finish-line snacks) was the entrance to the zoo for the rest of the day. I had a blast spending the day with my family and lots of furry friends.

Hi, friend.

We saw gorillas, bears, elephants and lions (oh my!).  And it's a good thing we ran for those lions, because they look too tired to do it themselves... 

So if you're looking for a stress-free 5K that guarantees fun with furry friends...the Run for the Wild is for you! 

Thumbs up for saving lions!