The course was 2 5k loops (really a 1.5 mile out and back) through a neighborhood near the medical center. This was the first race I wore my Garmin in. The first mile was good. Just trying to sort out who needed to be where and all that jazz. Really, despite the fact that I was on the grass, I picked a good place in line for people running a similar pace as I was. The sun started to finally break through the morning clouds and 15 minutes into the race was shining brightly. They had water at the turnaround point but I was feeling good and didn't take any. The run back to the start was uneventful, apart from a poor kid who didn't know any better doing the 10k and who'd headed out way way too fast suffering at mile 2. Coming back to start the second loop, I made eye contact with one of the volunteers handing out gatorade and then he looked away and started talking with another volunteer, so the handoff of the cup (me ripping it from his hand) was anything but smooth (I ended up with gatorade all over my hand and in my eye of all places). This race was another first for me: I drank while running, which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be for me; no cramps or anything. I thanked every police officer I ran past on the second loop, not so much for them as for the boost it gave me. I wasn't tired, just bored. Took water at the last turnaround and ran with an older guy who'd been behind me the whole race and passed just after the last aid station. I kicked it up a notch to pace myself off of him until the last half mile when he started to run out of gas. His breathing got really ragged and he started struggling. I passed him but slowed down so he could stay on my shoulder. I could've sprinted the last part of the race, but would've felt bad for leaving him behind. We crossed the finish line at pretty much the same time.

It was a better than expected time, and I had a lot left over at the end of it all, so I would've gone a little faster throughout the race. Other than that...maybe get to the race a little earlier or make sure I was pre-registered (though I didn't register early because of my 20 miler last week, I wanted to make sure I didn't hurt myself on that run and have to cancel on another race like I did the Beach Run)

They didn't have chip timing, so I had to go through the little age group sectioning thingy made of PVC pipe, and the girl manning it had a hard time spelling my name (me: its R-a-f-e, her: R-e-f-y?). Nick brought me a diet coke and a silly baloon hat, which I dutifully wore long enough for her to take a picture of it. Had a kolache (bad idea) and later a banana. Waited around for the awards. I got first in my age group and they gave me a little picture frame with a clover on it and it was anounced that the photographer would send all age group winners a picture to put in the frame for free.


My own lack of knowledge of how fast I could go for that distance.


Kind of a dull course, and no chip timing, but other than that, it was great.