July 25 5 k race

Well, yesterday Sara and I arrived at Carleen's place and had a nice visit with her. Her place is so nice and peaceful and comfortable...it was great just to relax there. We scouted out where Sara needed to go last evening (where her 50 mile bike ride started this morning) so that was good to know. We made some dinner...pasta (high carb dinner!) and then Sara went to bed in good time and Carleen and I stayed up a bit late....around 12:45 or so...talking and having a good time, as always.

So Sara and I got up at 6:30 this morning and I took her down to the starting point for her 50 mile ride. I came back to Carleen's and no sooner did Carleen get dressed and ready and we went to the end of her long driveway, prepared to sit on the edge of the back of my van...and Sara was already almost right in front of us...on the race trail! I barely got my camera turned on to get a picture of her! She was really moving!

Carleen and I came back to her place and visited for awhile and I got a late start doing my walk for today. I had planned on a certain route, but changed to plan B because I knew Sara would be done before I finished my 10 miles and I needed to go pick her up. So I decided to just walk/run on the same road that she had just passed us on...that way she would pass me when she was going back and I would know when to turn around and go back to my car at Carleen's to go pick Sara up at the finish line.

So I called Leo as I was walking and tried to talk him through that route planning link (from July 23) and that took awhile because I couldn't hear well because I was huffing and puffing from running and then cars would go whooshing by on the highway that I was walking/running on. But Leo kept at it and finally was able to tell me a turning point on the highway that I decided to go to. But all of this took time...I had to stop along the way to read a map as to Sara's route..and it really slowed my pace down because I wasn't concentrating on my walking/running

I did about 6 miles and because I got a late start, I didn't think about sunblock...so instead I put on my long sleeved jacket (black polyester...ick!) so I wouldn't get a sunburn. It was REALLY hot out there in the blazing sun and on that asphalt road...I thought I was going to have a heat stroke!...so again...I didn't push my pace and even skipped some of the 45 second runs because of the heat. Also slowing me down was the fact that I was taking a bunch of pictures for Sara to post on her blog...and then towards the end...I kept turning around to see if Sara was coming up behind me ...I wanted to get more pictures of her going by. So the bottom line is that my "Mom" duties overpowered my training assignment...but...oh well! I just was looking at my morning walk as a warm up for my 5 k tonight.

Sara finished the race in a great time...50 miles in less than 4 hours!! She did a super job and finished strong...and she got a medal!! We went back to Carleen's, had lunch, rehydrated, took a shower, and then headed back to Lincoln. I took a 1 hour nap and then got up and had some quinoa salad (high protein, high carb), got my running gear back on, and Leo, Sara, and I took off for my 5 k race which was at the baseball park.

I got there and understand that this was all new to me...my first competition of anything athletic...EVER...in my life. I got my number to pin to my shirt and a chip to attach to my shoelace to time me. I didn't have a clue how to put either one of these things on...so I had to watch other people putting them on. There was time to spare so Leo, Sara, and I sat down in the seats for awhile and then about 1/2 hour before the race I took off to try to find the starting point. I tried to be towards the back since I was walking and I assumed the others there were walking, too.

The race started at 8:00 and everyone took off like bats out of hell! I looked around and the only other walker was a 91 year old man, Clarence, and he was keeping pace with me!! I thought "oh no! I'm going to not only be beaten by a 91 year old man, but I really am going to be the last one over the line!". So Clarence and I walked along (he was actually jogging) and he told me that I walked really fast! About that time my alarm went off for me to run my 45 seconds and I didn't see him again until after I crossed the finish line (I did cross the line before him!).

I saw the whole pack of the other 300 or more runners off in the distance and I only hoped that I would figure out which route to take. I had planned on following the crowd...but they were really far out in front now. I passed Leo and Sara cheering me on...and all I could say was "I thought there would be more freakin' walkers!" About 1/2 to 2/3 of the way around the first lap (the first mile) a group of guys lapped me! Cripey! Now I knew what was going to happen...I was going to be the one that got the pity applause at the end...NOOOOO! But I kept up my pace and didn't do anything stupid like running a bunch extra like I did the other day. I kept a strong walk and my running felt good. (I had taken one of those snot gels (as I call them) just before the race started). All along the race people (specatators and runners) were supportive...saying "good job, you can do it, keep it up" and they were really nice. And I just smiled and kept up my pace, pushing myself as best as I could. Of course Leo and Sara were there cheering me on at each lap.

So before my mile 2 most everyone had lapped me. One gal said "you're almost there" and I said "no...I have another lap!" As I neared the end of the race I heard the band there playing some song...I forget what it was...but it sounded good...and I started running to the pace of the song. I ended up passsing a few others before the end and sprinted to the finish. Actually, I had to ask Sara if I had passed the finish line...I didn't see it! So I had the chip removed from my shoe and that was it. I did a 3.1 mile in 46 minutes so that was a pace of 14.8 min/mile...so I was really happy with that! And best of all...I finished! Here are a few pictures from the race:

Here's where I'm asking where the other freakin' walkers are!

You can see how the pack has thinned out!

Ahhhh! The finish line (I think!)