Despite our miserable family experience at this Sunday's Steelers 5K, it was a race I would still recommend to a friend -- particularly any friends who are Steelers fans.

And, provided you don't keep the kids out late the night before (and you have an in-car DVD player), it's worth taking the kids along because they get to race right on Heinz Field in the end zone under the Jumbotron.

The t-shirts were kind of, well, I'll just say it...ugly. I'm not into shirts with big logos on the front..particularly if the logo is just words. Turn the shirt around -- more logos...woohoo. But, then, I'm way past doing races for the shirt.

And, well ... I didn't do the race anyway (someone had to watch the kids) -- I am just taking my kids' shirts. By the way -- tip for petite women -- if the race offers kids shirts -- get a kid's large -- it fits better than an adult small.

Dan said the course was pretty boring. They went around the stadium once & once again before finishing in the stadium (which was kinda cool). They had the camera on the finish line so finishers were up on the jumbotron (cool again).

The crowd was pretty impressive -- almost 1,700 racers (not counting kids).

Race photos (taken by race staff) can be seen here. Race results can be seen here.

If you decide to do this race know three things:
1. It's worth staying for the awards because they give out lots of great Steelers door prizes (lots of game tickets!) -- to kids and adults -- and you MUST be present to win. This is incentive enough to register the kids and increase you family odds of winning.
2. Don't eat before they race -- they have a refreshment spread after the race that rivals most marathons (fruit, cookies, popsicles, muffins, pop, water...).
3. There are many, many, many police officers with radar guns on I-79 on Labor Day weekend.

Here are a few of my own photos:

Dan (in yellow) at the race start.

Kelly (on the left), who was born a cheerleader, I swear.

Lauren who was born a runner, I swear.