Race in the Park

A beautiful day and a very well put together event. The Race in the Park benefits breast cancer and is held in a beautiful park in the center of the city. The organizers secured three large parking garages in town where parking was free and they had quick shuttle buses to the site.

Unfortunately I went alone because the girls were unrousable after their exhausting night at the circus.

I got a free t-shirt, a timing chip to put in my laces, and they had a place where you could check your bag while you ran.

They had both a men's 5k and a women's 5k, although they let members of each sex run in either race. Lots of people were wearing t-shirts that said Cancer Survivor or Running in Memory of... There were lots of pink tee-shirts.

I forgot my heart rate monitor, but that was okay because I figured I would just run what I would run. Before the race I noticed two other people of about my height. I passed one within the first 100 yards, and the other about half way when he slowed to walk.

There were many more people running than in the last race. It seemed slow to start because we were all bunched together, but when we got to the mile marker, they had a running time posted and I was at 8:56, which was fast for me. I started to slow some after that. There were lots of people lining the route that went through some residential neighborhoods. Everyone shouting encouragement. One house had Rocky's "Gonna Fly" playing out of the speakers. There were pink ribbons tied to trees. A grandmother had set up a little makeshift water stand with dixie cups full of water for runners to grab. People with cancer survivor signs on their lawns thanked the runners as they went by.

The course was very hilly. I didn't pass too many people -- only those who had slowed to walks. At the official water pass out, I almost choked on the water.

It was hot out -- I can't imagine running a race in August heat. Or after a 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike for that matter.

At the two mile mark the sign read 18:36.

The last leg reentered the park with a fairly significant climb. I knew I would make it, but I wasn't exactly enjoying myself, but then as the crowds picked up in the park, and each step brough me closer, I started feeling better. One guy who passed me, turned to me as he went by and said "Good job, keep it up!" I thanked him, and then I could see the finish line in the distance and started picking up the pace a little as the hill evened out. Everyone was clapping and shouting. I was just looking down at the road, but then when I looked up and started to be able to make out the finishing time clock and saw it was still 29:XX, I really started to kick, but I held back enough not to pass the guy who had been kind to me. I breezed across in 29:45.

I walked around for awhile drinking water, and briefly thought I might throw up, but that passed. I felt really hot until I got the water in me. I walked around for awhile more and stretched some. Panera bread had a tent where they passed out free pastries. I watched some of the women's 5K and then caught the shuttle bus back.

I should find out my official chip time sometime later today.

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Official time was 29:47. A Pace of 9:37.

Race Results