Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run 4 Miler (23:58)
I had no idea how Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run would go. My legs were fatigued from running longer than anticipated the day before. Regardless of the race outcome, I knew the race would be a great workout. That’s the mentality I’ve gone to most of my races with. If I surprise myself at the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run with a PR, great, but if it doesn’t happen, the race still served as a workout. Most of the time, I don’t surprise myself.
The promise of unlimited grilled cheeses and tomato soup after the race sounded promising too.
My husband and I arrived at Washington Crossing Park around 9 am. The Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run started at 10 and since there is limited parking, we wanted to get there early. We warmed up about 3 miles and headed to the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run start. The Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run went off at 10 with no hiccups. There was a lead cyclist who led us all around the course, which was nice because the course was confusing.
The first mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run ran a massive loop around the park and fields. I found it hard to get a good groove. We ran over all types of terrain, and I was more focused on not falling than anything else. I found myself stride for stride with another woman. We crossed under the finish line around .75 and began to run down a soft canal path. I passed the first mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run in 6:09. My legs were tired, but they weren’t as tight as I thought they would.
The second mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run was low key. I was caught behind a male who took one stride for every two I made. I crossed the second mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run in 6:04. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep that pace. My calves were tight.
During the third mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run, we did a complete 180 turn and headed towards the finish line. I got caught between two people during the turning point and almost made a dead stop. After we turned around, I made my move and surged passed a few other racers. After that, I found myself alone. Runners were coming the opposite direction cheering. I hit the third mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run in 5:59. I was pleased but also surprised. After that, I surged and gave the race everything I had.
I wasn’t sure how much of a lead I had, but I focused on finishing. I was tired and was running hard. I hit the 5k point of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run in 18:50. Like racing the 6k in college, I thought…goodie a bonus round! Around 3.5, the lead cyclist came back and picked me up. I always appreciate races with lead cyclists for females as well. As I approached the finish line, I heard footsteps behind me. With a quarter of a mile to go, I surged and powered to the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run finish line. I crossed the finish line completely exhausted. I led the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run for most of it and didn’t want to give that up. I gave all of the energy I had in the last mile and ran the fourth mile o the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run in 5:52. That last mile of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run hurt.
My final time of the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run was 23:58, which was a course record! I had no idea until they announced my name.
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run Thoughts:
Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run was almost 50 seconds faster than the Super Hero 4 miler last month. I’m surprised considering my mileage and legs were fatigued. The Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run was a confidence booster because I haven’t been the greatest the last week or so. I executed good negative splits during the race, which indicates that if I went out harder and tapered, I could have an even stronger race.
My dream in college was to break 6 min/mile in a cross country 6k. Two injuries including a stress fracture, plagued me, so that never happened. Don’t get me wrong, I loved college running, but I never had a season I was all that proud of. Racing a sub 6 min race at the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run gave me flashbacks to cross country.
Questions for you:
Do you like cross country style races or do you prefer pavement?
What is your favorite grilled cheese combination? Have you run the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Run?
Wow, awesome job, Hollie! Really inspiring run!
I’ve never met a grilled cheese I haven’t liked, but recently had a grilled pimento cheese & bacon sandwich that rocked my world.
Your hard work has been paying off! I love grilled cheese and bacon. Yum.
You really had a great race! Your training is really paying off!!
I used to run cross country so it has a spot in my heart road races will never overtake. It is a totally different race when you have to worry about terrain as well as speed. I will only eat grilled cheese with chicken noodle soup. I love it with some tomato though!
Great job Hollie! That’s such a great picture of you crossing the finish line. I’ve always loved cross country and I consider trail running my first love! There’s nothing quite like it 🙂 I hope you enjoyed all that grilled cheese and tomato soup!
It was actually perfect because I had to get to work right afterwards, so I snagged a few grilled cheeses for the road.
That is awesome!!! Good job!!!!!
Ok you know I’m not much of a runner and I rarely do races but a grilled cheese and tomato soup race DEFINITELY sounds like something I’d sign up for, haha.
I love the picture of you at the finish line! Congrats on breaking the record!
I loved cross country in high school! It’s been so long since I’ve run a race like that! Congrats on an awesome race!!
My favorite grilled cheese ever was at a restaurant in Florence SC when I loved there. It was blueberry goat cheese on jalapeno cornbread. It probably doesn’t sound too appetizing, but it was so, so good. Just the right combo of spicy and sweet. Goat cheese is rich too!
Congratulations on a great race- very well executed and hooray for a 50 second improvement over the last 4 miler. I agree a 4 mile has to be hard to race because it’s like a 5K with a bonus round! Glad the lead cyclist came back and they had a tape for you to break at the end (it looks like a well organized event overall). Your training is really paying off :).
Goat cheese is my favorite type of cheese so I think I would like that. We have a restaurant down the road called “The Pop Shop”, that was on Food Network for their grilled cheeses. They have a couple different goat cheese grilled cheeses which I liked!
I think every race needs to have food at the end. There is no greater motivator in my mind haha. Congrats again on crushing it. You’re always a huge inspiration.
you make it look easy! so amazing and inspiring. congratulations!!!!
What an amazing race! A PR, a win, and a course record? Sounds like you hit the trifecta to me. Oh wait. Even better because of the grilled cheese and tomato soup waiting for you! I haven’t raced a 4 miler in a really long time. Great distance.
It’s a great distance and I hadn’t raced one in a while either…then 2 out of my last 3 races have been 4 milers LOL.
What a great race, I never did a 4miler liked to try it.
Those hill works are paying off.
Keep it up hollie
I like grilled cheese and French 🍟.
Can’t beat that combo.
You are running SO strong right now Hollie! It’s good to see. Congrats on the win, CR, but also on running that long held goal pace for the “bonus round”
Apologies for not answering your questions but Massive Congrats on the race!
Brilliant!
Awesome race, Hollie! And I love the name/theme of that race – although it makes me crave a grilled cheese!
Were you able to get a grilled cheese Katie? Ha!
Slacker. LOL. Oh my goodness, dear. I kind of worship you. I’m serious. I feel like I need to copy everything you eat and do so I can be fast too. I think I’ll line up some waffles for breakfast tomorrow!
Ha, you are too funny. It’s funny you mention my breakfast because I was writing a post about my race mornings actually.
Holy shit that was well done! Be proud of your accomplishment. I’m all for trails and I stay off the pavement as much as I can. I run a couple every year though, to support the causes I love.
Congrats!! Such an exciting accomplishment and what an awesome race. Omg grilled cheese at the end of a race.. that would be like heaven haha.
Well done! There’s something to be said for executing even though you were untapered/not totally rested–the training is paying off!
wow grilled cheese and tomato is one of my favorites. Congrats on your record! Looks like all your hard work is paying off! I’m inspired 🙂
Hats off..!! Really inspired 😘😘😘
Congrats on a super race!
I definitely prefer running on trail to pavement but most of the races I have done are road races.
Before I discovered some food sensitivities grilled cheese and tomato soup was one of my ultimate favourite meals! so good!
Thank you for stopping by! I cannot imagine not being able to have grilled cheeses but I hope you’ve found some good similar options 🙂
Yup it was super sad to adjust to but now I love a yam topped with an easy over soft egg with salt- so yummy! Or any kind of rice pasta too 😊👍🏻
yay for an awesome race, a course record and doing a bang up job with running so long the day before!!!…….but what about the grilled cheese? was it good, was the tomato soup good? sorry…my inner foodie is dying for those details too 🙂