I started out in the back of the pack, I have been doing that because otherwise I think I can run with the fast boys and girls.

They had a clearing in the rain, so we got everyone together and got ready to go. Started and I took off at a comfortable pace. I was running with Trigirl10 and Speedyboy9, as well as my wife and mom. Speedyboy9 was running with me at the start, kept up pretty well for the first quarter mile or so. I thought he might have gone out too fast, but didn't say anything to him about it right then.

I was passing a lot of people because of my start in the back. Until the turn I had only 1 or 2 people pass me. I was running pretty smooth, felt like a good pace, but I really was not watching the garmin to see how fast I was going. I really didn't feel like I was going that fast. I could tell I was working, but I didn't think that much about it.

Hit the mile mark, and heard the gal say... 8:2X I guess, I didn't think I had done a mile yet. Heard the beep, beep, beep but didn't hit the lap button (I should have). I was a little worried about going out too fast now. The first runners were coming back shortly after that point. (First place was 16:53.)

Just kept on running, I was starting to feel the effects of the run earlier, but still felt pretty good. Hit the turn around, grabbed a water and walked a short bit to drink it.

Some where between the turn around and mile 2 I had 2 people pass me. I thought about trying to keep up, but I was working pretty hard at that point. Saw Speedyboy9 not too far after the turn around, told him he was doing a great job. He was running with someone I think, but I am not sure. Saw Trigirl10 not too lang after that, and she was running and chatting with some lady.

Passed my Mom and wife around the 2 mile mark, wife was jogging and Mom was race walking. Told them they were doing great. Heard the person telling me that 17:23-4 had passed. Hit the lap button this time, and kept right on chugging.

I was feeling the run now, legs were getting tired, lungs laboring, but I was still feeling fairly good. I knew I didn't have that long to run. I was trying to keep a good pace, but I could tell I was slowing down a lot.

Around this point there was a old guy that was doing the run/walk thing. He would run and then he would walk a bit. When he was running he was pretty dang fast. He passed me then I passed him on his next walk segment, we did that pretty much the rest of the way in. I had a could more folks pass me, and I just could not stay with them.

I got to the final turn in, 1/4 mile left to go. Feeling pretty tired, but wanting to finish strong. Just kept plugging along, about the 3 mile mark all of a sudden my stomach started protesting. The first one passed pretty quick and I thought I would be fine, the second time it just came up. So I stood there for what seemed like a long time, 2-3 people passed me. Finally I was able to finish out the run.

Maybe not eat the yogart prior to the run. Try to go out a little easier and negative split the race again.

Got some water rinsed out my mouth and then drank some too. Got a peach smoothie, drank a little of that.

Jogged out to the 3 mile mark area, and ran in with Speedyboy9. He was having side cramps from the run. I was trying to help him clear them, and encourage him to finish strong. He had a good run, and if he had trained more would be giving me a run for my money. He finished in 34:18

Once he finished I headed back out looking for Trigirl10. She was running in carrying her shoes, what is it with this gal? Just loves to run sans shoes. I guess she took them off just prior to the final turn in. I was pretty shocked that she and my son were coming in that quick. She finished in 35:23. I ran with her to the finish line, then headed back out to find my wife.

I found my wife about 1/2 a mile from the end, she was really struggling at this point. She had jogged some, but her knees were hurting and she had to stop jogging. When I caught her, she was just about in tears. I gave her a big hug, told her I was proud of her. I walked with her into the finish line. I gave her the water I was carrying, and offered a drink of the smoothie too. She turned down the water at first, then took it when we got closer to the end.

Picked up son and daughter out of the kids area. Then headed over to the food tables for dinner.

They had door prizes. I won a nice clock (car with a clock in it, desk style.) Speedyboy9 won some popcorn, Trigirl10 won a car wash coupon (she traded for something else) not sure what my wife won (other than my admiration for completing the race even after having some knee pain.)


Not really working on speed right now, mainly I have been working on distance. I am trying to get a good base built up, before getting speed work in.


This is the second annual race. If they hold it again next year, I will likely run it. They had a dinner afterward. Hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, pasta salad. Plenty of brownies and sweets.

I was disappointed they didn't have any fruit or salad.