Polar Cap 4 Mi. Race Report

A new race and a new distance for me.  I love Lake George (in the summer!) But it is hilly.  And it’s cold and snowy!!

What the heck, it’s a PR.

So I got up early on a Saturday morning to run a race! 

My husband remarked, “You’re gonna drive over an hour for a race!?” I replied that I know someone who drove 3 hours for a race.

It was a beautiful morning.  The predicted snowstorm was postponed until  the afternoon.  It was about 15 degrees, sunny, very little wind. I was very tired because I went to bed too late. (Friday is Mah Jongg night.)

I was almost there when fellow blogger, AJH, texted me that she was there!  I didn’t know she was going to run it but I know she has run this race several times before.  I was thrilled to have the company.  (My friend Mary has a hip stress fracture 😦 )

I thought it was going to be cold so I dressed in 3 top layers, hat, gloves, tights shorts, wool socks.

AJH & me before the race

I was wrong.  It was sunny.  I was overdressed.  I immediately took off my gloves & unzipped my jacket.

pic taken by AJH

The course was very scenic.  There were views of the snow covered mountains as well as the lake. 

It was not an easy course.  At first there were some small hills.  I was running well.  Under 10 min/mi.  That was until the last killer unending hill.   I walked and then I walked again and then I walked.  I hate that! Until my half marathon, I never walked during a race.

 

heading for the finish

happy to be almost done

All of a sudden, I became competitive and regained my strength and sprinted through the finish line.  The walking killed my time but I at least made up some at the end and crossed at 40:09. (Official results say: 40:11)

AJH took this of me finishing

(I didn’t take any pics during the race but I snapped a few after.)

AJH at the finish line

It was my first 4 mile race so I have a PR.  I love racing so I am happy!  I will do better at the next one.

my split times

I was so sweaty that I quickly got chilled so we went inside to change clothes and wait for the awards.  (There were under 200 people in this race so the chance for an award was pretty good.)

The refreshments consisted of chicken soup and lots of baked goods but I really wasn’t hungry.

Guess what?  AJH & I both won Age Group awards (We are in the same group.)  Although AJH finished way ahead of me, she won 2nd and I won 3rd. Cool!

We won soup bowls with spoons

 AJH left & I stayed in Lake George for a while.  I hope that we get a chance to race together again.  I think we will because she’s the one I was referring to when I said I “I know someone she drives 3 hours for a race.”

I headed into town because there was a lot going on.  It’s the first weekend of the 50th Lake George Winter Carnival.

 But first, I had my running reward:

vanilla latte & apple scone

Then I met my friends (who are chairpersons of the Carnival) and watched some of the events – skydiving, dogsled races,  etc.

I stopped off at the outlets on my way home but my wallet was saved by the snowstorm.  It started to snow hard and I left.  As I drove south, the snow turned to sleet, then to freezing rain and then to just rain. (At least the salt got washed off my car.)

So now it’s back to training. I don’t have a race planned until March & I think it’s another 4 miler 🙂

Happy Running!