This was my 2nd time running this 10K and my second time being part of the Turkey Trot Challenge training group.
I really enjoyed this race last year (in spite of the snowstorm) so was looking forward to this year’s race.
The course was the same as last year:
I picked up by bib on Sunday so I didn’t have to rush on race morning.
But I did want to arrive early to get parking. I parked in the bowling alley parking as I did last year and walked a few blocks to the Atrium where I could wait for the race to begin.
I checked my jacket and pants since I wouldn’t need them until after the race.
At least this year, it hadn’t snowed the night before but as usual for this time of year, it was cold – in the 40’s. And of course, you had to be careful not to overdress because you will get too warm.
I chatted with members of my training group until it was time to brave the cold.
The 10K started at 8 am followed by the kid’s one mile race & a one mile walk and then at 10 am the most popular event, the 5K.
This year, unlike the previous year, I signed up to run a second race, the 5k about an hour later.
I got some refreshments but really wasn’t hungry so I just drink some chocolate milk. Then I went back to the Atrium to stay warm.
Boy, was it crowded… 5 thousand or more runners squeezed into a small building.
I wanted to find my friends and my hubby (who was running his FIRST 5k with a friend)….and rest my weary legs.
I had already picked up my bib but I needed to get it from my checked bag. And I was so sweaty that I wanted to change my clothes.
I did find my tennis friend but I never found my hubby.
This was the first time that I had run the 5k race. But it was just an out and back course.
Finally it was time to squeeze into the starting area. I found someone from my training group in the “gray” bib area and we chatted until the race began.
Of course, my legs were tired from having already run 6.2 miles (at race pace) so all I wanted to do was finish. Of course, I was hoping to come in under 30 minutes but I wasn’t sure that was possible. I didn’t want to push it since I had a half marathon to run in a little over a week.
It was so crowded that I had no problem slowing down in the beginning. Like the previous race, it was crowded the whole race.
And my legs were not cooperating. They wanted to run slow. And so I did.
I crossed the finish line around 32 minutes which was 31:28 chip time.
I got some more chocolate milk and then went back to the finish line to wait for my hubby. Then I got a text that he pulled a muscle and quit the race. I didn’t say “I told you so.” (He never trained. In fact he had never even run before.) His running days are officially over.
5K Splits:
mile 1 – 9:58
mile 2 – 10:12
mile 3 – 10:08
.14 – 8:22
So not to be a Debbie Downer…
The Good:
- The weather – not too hot or too cold. If the sun came out, I would have been too warm. It was perfect running weather.
- Race organization – considering the number of runners, it was very well organized.
- Race location – place to stay warm indoors with indoor bathroom and bag check
- Chocolate Milk at the finish
- Medals for both the 10k and the 5k
- 15K PR – each of my race times were disappointing but if you add them together, it was 1:31:01 which is a slight PR.
- Good preparation for my half marathon in 10 days
- Running 9.3 miles lets me eat more Thanksgiving food
- NO PAIN…no blisters…lower back and feet felt great. Thumbs up to my Nikes! (and I didn’t wear compression socks.)
The Bad:
- my 10K time – considering I was in a training group for this race and I ran this course last year, I should have finished faster!!
- post race refreshments – I would have liked pizza or bagels or cookies
- same medal for both the 5k and the 10k (if you run both, you have 2 of the same medals)
- cotton tee shirts (in my case, 2 cotton tee shirts)
- my 5k time – the last 5k at the Stockeadathon 15k was faster and there were huge hills
- my hubby’s racing is over before it began
- for some reason, I didn’t push it…I was never out of breath..I never ran fast
Overall, I enjoyed the races. I am glad that I ran them. I think I will do both next year too.
After the race(s), I had to rush home. There was change in plans. Instead of going out to a restaurant, I was cooking dinner and BRINGING it to my MIL’s. (Hopefully for all my efforts, I will get to bring home some leftovers.)
Happy Running! Did you run off that turkey?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Double races are hard — you did great!
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Nice job on 2 races!! Don’t give up on your man. Maybe he’ll want to do another one to redeem himself! Happy thanksgiving!
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Doubtful but you never know, Happy holidays to you too.
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Other than having to cook (:D), what a wonderful holiday! Hope your hubby recovers quickly! Happy Thanksgiving!
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He’s fine. I think he was faking it so he didn’t have to run.
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Lol!
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