Started out faster than I wanted but also not so sure the first mile marker was accurate. Settled into a comfortable pace and noticed I hadn't seen a two mile marker yet. Also found it odd that we had deviated from the original course at about 1.5 miles. I figured they had decided to make it a true 10k and come up with a new course at the last minute. Except all of the signs were saying "Stone Mountain 5k Walk, Loop 1." No more mile markers, no water stations, and it's hot! Maintained a steady pace but had no idea what my times were and how far into the run we really were. Kept picking off runners and was passed by one or two. Big hill at 5 miles wasn't fun. Hit "six mile marker" at 36:00 and knew something was really wrong. Finished and they announced me "our third place" runner. Something really wrong. (Foreshadowing here).

Not much.

Walked around. Finding shade was the holy grail here. Talked to a few other runners and we commented on how there was no water, mile markers, or course markers (more foreshadowing here). DRink, drink, drink.


Running miles way down as I've been nursing a tight and sore hip flexor. Tried to treat it as a training run but you know that will never happen once the gun goes off. BUT, hip flexor felt great and no problems. Miracle of good stretching.


#1 rule of road races: Get the course right! Turns out whoever set up the crossing at Wildcat Reserve Pkwy deviated the course to follow the neighborhood 5k walk. So the initial breakaway pack of four runners ran that loop and then managed to get back on the original course and ending up running about 8 miles. Everyone else came off the neighborhood lap and then headed back in the way we came. We ran 5.75 to 6 miles or so. Of course that's why the majority of us never saw mile markers, water, etc. We'll see what happens out of it.

Anyway, they gave the front four guys the top overall places and then used everyone else's times as is and set the results from there. So I dropped from fourth to eighth overall. Still second in my age group. Didn't stick around for the awards because I thought the results would all be screwed up and I didn't know that only a few guys ran the farther distance. Wasn't going to accept a medal I didn't earn. Oh well.