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SkirtChaser 5k - Run5k


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Tempe, Arizona
United States
Red Rock Co.
75F / 24C
Sunny
Total Time = 18m 21s
Overall Rank = 15/1447
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

Jamie and I arrived at Tempe beach Park about 45min before the scheduled 2pm start. The line for registration was pretty long but we had time and I had a feeling they would delay the start a bit (which they did by 10min). The outdoor expo was big and packed with people, turnout for the race looked awesome! Lot's of singles wearing fun outfits, some more revealing and some just absurd! Two guys ran in business suites. The RD told me they had almost 2000 runners, 1200 of which were women. So the format of the race is the women start 3:00 ahead of the men. They have a special award for the first couple to course together. Jamie and I were second last year and really wanted to win it this time. So Jamie would run the fastest 5K she could and I had to run fast enough to make up the 3min and catch her before the finish. Last year I caught her around mile 2.1, but the course was different this year. We were on a mission!
Run
  • 18m 21s
  • 3.11 miles
  • 05m 54s  min/mile
Comments:

We headed over to the start line on Rio Salado and it was packed! Jamie went right to the front and I waited with my friend Andrew for the women to start and clear out. Once they started, it took about 90 seconds to get them all across the line and then I and all the men filled in behind. i also started at the front right behind friend and local pro triathlete Lewis Elliot. My buddy Brad Hendron, who ran me down last year at Mountain Man Half to take the win, was on my left...wearing a skirt!

The horn sounded and we were off. Within the first few hundred meters, Brad got ahead of me and we began to run into the back of the women pack. The road was so crowded, we had to run up on the median to get through. I could see Lewis and the lead guys staying tot he far right and i followed their route to try and make progress. It actually wasn't as bad as last year getting through. By the first mile marker, the crowd had thined out and I saw the lead women start coming back the other way. I was running very hard and had the worst cotton mouth, it was very warm and dry afternoon. I had passed a few guys already and could see Brad wasn't too far ahead of me. About 200 yards front he turnaround, I saw Jamie coming back the other way. She was flying! Uh-oh! I'm quickly running out of real estate!

I rounded the turn and really started to push. I passed another two guys and as i made the left back onto Rio Salado, I even caught Brad. He gave me a thumbs up as I went by and I said, "I still have to catch my wife!" and she was nowhere to be seen up the road! Christ, how fast was she going?! At this point I was really starting to hurt and began to think Jamie might have to slow down before the finish and wait for me! I would never hear the end of it! The mile 2 marker went by and still I couldn't see her up the road.

Finally I did catch sight of her pink skirt and top (she actually ran in one of her tennis outfits) but she seemed so far ahead and I continued to push. I was able to close up pretty quick and got along side her and let out a gasp of relief. She was hanging on and tried to run behind me to catch a draft as we were running into a headwind. I recovered a bit and began to encourage her along, but she was clearly at the limit and wasn't very talkative. As we turned into Tempe beach Park for the finish, we held hands and heard someone say, "Here comes the first couple!" We did it! We ran down to the line and it was official, we won. I don't think I have ever seen Jamie so excited about a race finish, it was so great to be able to share that with her. :)

Jamie finished in 21:21, good enough for 10th OA for women! I ended up 13 OA for men. I think I would have held on for a low 17 time which would have been good for 5th or 6th but finishing the race the way we did was worth so much more.
Post race
Warm down:

Time to get the party started! We got some water in us first, Jamie had really dug deep and almost hurled as we turned into the park at the end. We found our friends as they all finished and got inline for our free beers! 2 beers later, we were up on stage with Nicole Deboom and I even had to say a few words to the crowd of 2000 partying peeps! We won 2 pairs of sweet Native sunglasses. We had such a blast and even stopped at another pub on the way home to continue our celebration. :)




Last updated: 2011-01-25 12:00 AM
Running
00:18:21 | 03.11 miles | 05m 54s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/1447
Performance: Good
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge
Organized?
Events on-time?
Lots of volunteers?
Plenty of drinks?
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5]

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2011-02-14 4:15 PM

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Champion
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Fountain Hills, AZ
Subject: SkirtChaser 5k


2011-02-14 4:31 PM
in reply to: #3354934

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Extreme Veteran
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Mexico!
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
haha! Nice report. congrats to you and your wife!
2011-02-14 4:53 PM
in reply to: #3354934

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Expert
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Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
Thats awesome!
2011-02-14 8:39 PM
in reply to: #3354934

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Elite
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Miami
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
nice job as always!
2011-02-15 7:57 AM
in reply to: #3354934

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Master
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Reston, VA
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
Now that sounds like a fun race!
2011-02-15 1:02 PM
in reply to: #3354934

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Master
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Toronto
Bronze member
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
Very fun! Congrats on your couples' win!! 


2011-02-15 2:52 PM
in reply to: #3354934

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Champion
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Philly 'burbs
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
Very cool. Next year you have to step it up and defend your title in matching pink tennis outfits.
2011-02-16 7:08 AM
in reply to: #3356545

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Payson, AZ
Subject: RE: SkirtChaser 5k
mrbbrad - 2011-02-15 1:52 PM Very cool. Next year you have to step it up and defend your title in matching pink tennis outfits.


Nice, I like that idea.
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