The Shawshank Redemption.
I remember watching this movie for the first time in class with a substitute teacher back in high school in the late 90's. It instantly became one of my all- time favorite films. However, what I did not know until this year is that there is actually a 7K race based entirely around the Shawshank Redemption. I just happened to see a post about the Shawshank Hustle in one of my running groups. The name intrigued me and upon further research I saw that this race was only four hours away from me and you run through various filming locations of the movie. SIGN ME UP!
The Shawshank Hustle has been around for ten years now. Every entrant into the Hustle gets admission to the Ohio State Reformatory and a ticket to ride the Richland Carousel (you can stop and ride during the race) attached to their bib. We opted to do the self- guided tour the day we arrived and picked up our gear. It took about two hours, and we were able to explore the various rooms, cells, and memorabilia throughout the Reformatory. For the movie lovers they had the actual pickax Andy used in the film for his escape, Brooks' room (yes where he carved the infamous "Brooks was here," Red's box that Andy hides for him, and tunnel Andy escapes through to name just a few. For those who are into the paranormal, there are various talks about hauntings as well. The grandeur and facade of the Ohio State Reformatory make it an impressive setting for films and of course, an awesome backdrop for the starting line of the race.
Saturday is race morning. ARRIVE EARLY. The main road to the Ohio State Reformatory gets very congested. We were there by 6:30 am with a start time of 8:00 am. We also paid the $10.00 for VIP parking which was very convenient. The vibe is very relaxed and low key. We were able to take some pictures since they had plenty of photo ops available, warm up a bit, and just hang out until start time. They do have a costume contest just before start time as well. I opted to not participate this year but it's absolutely on the table for next year. They had several of the actors from the film at the start line ready to cheer on runners as well. Such an awesome touch.
The race is a very easy course. There are a few train tracks, one minor hill, but we traveled through downtown Mansfield. It's a quaint, charming town dotted with murals and local businesses. Several shooting locations are throughout the course. The grocery store where Red is employed, Brooks' Bench and his apartment building are a few of the sights you will pass. The race has plenty of water stops so hydration was not a problem. Luckily, we had the most beautiful weather day for our run. Runners are divided into teams either Guards or Inmates (our group was split, three guards and two inmates) racing to beat the Warden to the finish line. The winning team will get a coupon code for a discounted race next year. These cute little touches made it such a fun time.
The last quarter of a mile you are encouraged to run your fastest to finish strong. Runners end the race back at the Ohio State Reformatory. You get a little treat, bottle of water, and a popsicle at the finish line along with your medal. These medals were incredible and HEAVY. Marceline placed third in her age group (this was her first real race) and Katie placed fifth in hers. They both said they want to come back again next year, and I have to agree. It was a wonderful time. I highly recommend for anyone who wants to give running a try. Since the race was over by 11:00 am this gave us plenty of time to do some exploring the rest of the day and indeed we did. I'll save that adventure for another blog post. Until then, enjoy a few photos from the race.
