Saturday, September 28, 2013

Sacred Heart 5k Race Review

I took Friday off to give my toes a break.  This morning I ran a 5k.  My schedule called for an 8k or a 10k, but there were none in the area to be found.  The local girls' Catholic high school was having a 5k to "Christen" their brand spanking new track.  I woke up at 7, iced my toes, popped an Advil, and ran out the door.  The school is a little over two and a half miles from the house.

Pretty track


It was a gorgeous autumn morning, sunny and barely 60 degrees.  I arrived at the school at around 8:10.  I registered and then chit chatted with a local mom from town and a woman with whom I went to high school.  Her oldest daughter and her husband, Brian were running the race.  The race started at 9.  Nooo, I didn't think it started at 8:30!  That would be sooo uncharacteristic of me.  I just showed up a half hour early because an extra thirty minutes of sleep is truly overrated.  Yup.

I lined up next to Brian at the start.  I jokingly asked him if he was going to win the race.  He humbly shook his head, "You?"  No way.  There was a good crowd and it looked like the entire high school cross country team was competing.  The announcer told the 5 and 6 minute milers to line up at the front and then the 7 and 8 minute milers.  I turned to say goodbye to Brian, but he was walking up right next to me.  I was embarrassed that I assumed I was faster than him, especially since he took off at the start never to be seen again.

The course was routed through the residential streets of Hempstead and Garden City.  It was flat and scenic.  I hit the 1 Mile sign at 6:42.  Wow!  That was my fastest first mile in any race.  A tall blonde girl and I were neck and neck for over two miles.  I hit Mile 2 just under 14 minutes.  Right around two and a half miles, the blonde girl stopped.  I thought maybe she was down for the count until a few minutes later she zipped by me out of nowhere .  She had a nice second wind.  I waited for mine, but it never came.  The route brought us back to the school where we did the last 200 meters on the bouncy, new track.  I finished in 21:33, a PR by a minute and a half.  I also got 3rd place for overall women!  That was a nice surprise!  Makes me wonder about their girls' cross country team...


The track looks pretty empty, eh?  Well, I forgot to take pictures during the actual race.  I drove back later when everyone had already left.  What's a race report without pictures, right?

10 comments:

  1. Wow, another age group winner! Congratulations on the PR, you annihilated your prior PR time. I was expecting you to say that Brian won the race : )

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    1. Brian very well could have won the race, if he didn't, he damn well came close! Island Timing takes forever to post their results. That's why I prefer Finish Line Road Race Technicians. Their results make it online sometimes before I even get home!

      Age group winner? You mean, 3rd OVERALL WOMEN'S, right? ;) Hey, this doesn't happen every day, so I got it milk it when I can... (sigh)

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    2. And of course, I forgot to thank you while I was pathetically tooting my own miniature horn. Thank you :)

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    3. Good god, woman. You can RUN! I'm DELIGHTED for you!
      It's an honor, and a privilege to know you! (isn't that from some movie I saw?)
      3rd OVERALL Woman ... BOOYAH!!!

      I thought you were going to say Brian won the race too!

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    4. TPP, I would love to have you along at all of my races! You are my best cheerleader! Grazie mille!

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    5. Excellent!

      Way to demolish your PR!

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    6. Thank you very mucho, Mr. Roberto. Domo. Domo.

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    7. Mia culpa on the faint praise. Overall placement is an accomplishment that few can match. As we used to say in Boston, you are wicked fast!

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  2. HEY!
    Congrats on your mention in the GLIRC magazine! It put a smile on my face to see you there!

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    1. Wow! So cool! I'm psyched that they plugged the blog, too! Always a plus if I put a smile on a pretty face!

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