RACE DAY 9-30-07

I ended up taking a rest day yesterday...to watch football. =)

However, I'd felt good about my training all week, so I figured I'd be okay...though I was a little concerned because I didn't get much sleep last night. I took my own coffee travel mug to church to get a little extra dose of caffeine during choir practice, and fueled up for the race with two cheese danishes in the parlor after the service.

I drove down to the race site (the Wegerzyn Garden Center, part of the Dayton park system - www.metroparks.org/_wegerzynGardens/wegerzynGardens.aspx) with plenty of time to spare - race check-in started at 2 pm, and the race didn't start until 3:30 pm or so. I had a nice "warm-up" walk through the gardens - they have a great children's educational garden and a really pretty formal rose garden. We'll have to come back sometime with the kids (and a camera).

It worked out well that I was there so early, because by the time the race was actually about to start, I'd worked out all of my pre-race jitters and was bored and ready to run. (I'd also hydrated myself to the point that I stood at the starting line wondering if I should have gone to the bathroom one more time! It was a hot day, though, and I figured I had a long way to go before I overdid the water.)

I lined up in the back of the pack and made sure my watch was on the stopwatch function. I went out at what felt like a fast but comfortable pace and after about 15 yards realized I'd forgotten to start the stopwatch. =)

I started it anyway at that point and mentally added 15-30 seconds, just so I could get an idea of whether or not I was on pace when I hit the first mile marker. There were two water stations, one at just shy of 1 mile (drank water, walked for 15-20 seconds), and one at a little over 2 miles (drank water, poured water down the back of my neck, meant to walk but forgot).

I traded spots back and forth with an older (50's) man and two older (60's) women for awhile, and eventually went past for good sometime in the third mile. The last half-mile felt really long, but I figured from my watch that I had to be getting close to done. I tried to keep pace with the two runners ahead of me, spaced out about 30 yards and 60 yards ahead, and let them pull me across the finish line.

Official times are posted at:

www.keysports.net/taking_steps_against_domestic_2007%20results%20vi.htm

but for my casual readers...

I came in 33rd of 49 (overall...there were no gender or age subcategories) with a new PR time of 34:43!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My legs are tired but not that sore...I have a stretching day scheduled for tomorrow, and then I start training for a 10K (Dublin OH, November 11, details to follow).

After beating my previous 5K time by 43 seconds, I need a new challenge. =)