I never wrote about the last 5k I did back in December so I wrote about it today. And here it comes, below. First, somebody just asked me for my blog address. Since I don't really want my blog to be a public thing, I told him I had deleted it! This is more like a diary and it creeps me out that strangers might find it. I would use an actual diary or journal but I've never found one I liked. And so, we blog. Once in awhile, in a great long while.
This is the 5k I ran back on December 19. I ran three 5ks in the month of December, because I missed racing and I was hoping it would help me gain some speed. This was the last of the three races.
This one takes place in the Cincinnati neighborhood known as Mt. Adams. That means it’s not flat, although the race route itself is not as hilly as it could be. Mt. Adams is an area of upscale shops and restaurants where Tommy and I spent a lot of date nights back in the day (or night). It is also the home of the Cincinnati Art Museum, Playhouse in the Park, and Krohn Conservatory (all located in Eden Park, part of which you run through during the Flying Pig).
My original plan was to bring my dog Eddy along for this one, as he had joined me on the previous two 5ks earlier in the month and we had a lot of fun together. But a snow/ice storm on race morning changed my plans. His feet are very sensitive and I didn’t want him running on the salt encrusted roads. I also didn’t want to take a chance on me losing my balance on the ice while I was also holding onto his leash. So Ed stayed home.
On the upside, this meant that I could hang out after the race in the coffee shop/wine bar that was the site of the awards ceremony.
Last time I ran this race was ten years ago, when I finished in 24:16 according to my records, and placed third in my age group. Two age groups later, I was not expecting a time that fast, but still hoping for a placement. The day before the race, I picked up my number and t-shirt (and chip, yes, chip for this relatively small local race) at the running shoe store, where I overheard the manager (who is one of our local studs) talking about how last time he ran it (when he was in high school), he and the other leaders took a wrong turn that resulted in the course being shortened. Turns out that was the same year that I last ran it! So I know I can’t expect too much.
On race morning, I drove our old Ford Explorer to the start because it seemed best equipped to handle to road conditions (and the chance that somebody might skid into me). Hilly Mt. Adams is not big fun to drive around in on a snowy morning. And even on a good day, it’s no fun trying to find a parking space there. I drove around the streets near the coffee shop a few times before I found a nice, big space in front of a townhouse about two blocks from the start.
Mt. Adams is just a couple miles from my house but I realized I had not been there in years. The wine shop where we used to go for tastings is gone, but the Blind Lemon where we used to sit on the back patio and listen to music is still there. The coffee shop and wine bar that we runners are hanging out in are new to me, though.
Warmed up my legs running around the block a few times from my car, and was especially glad that I didn’t bring Ed because the roads were heavily salted. Lined up at the start back with the old geezers. Race start was uphill but it leveled off a bit soon enough. I saw the “man who doesn’t wear shirt but should”---he was wearing a shirt this time though and I passed him sooner than usual, which was a good sign. Also dumped a number of the geezers.
We ran around the Playhouse/Museum area (relatively flat part) and I saw a guy running with a Beagle. He would have to win First Dog this time.
Missed the first mile marker. Mile two had a significant downhill section, and then we hit a flat out-and-back across a grassy (or rather, snowy and slushy) field (what?!) which was quite unpleasant. I am guessing this was the section of the course that was left out in 1999, because I know I would have remembered it. There was some lady in pink that I was trying to pass.
My time on my watch at the mile two mark was 17:18 but this included a little bit of extra time getting to the start. Mile 1 was more like 9 minutes, mile 2 with the downhill was like 8 minutes. In the third mile we had to climb back uphill, and I did manage to pass pink lady. The most unpleasant part of this mile was a section where we had to run up a little parking area ramp that had not been salted. It was quite slippery and I had to stop and walk up it carefully to keep from falling.
The finish line was near Rookwood Pottery and The Celestial restaurant, which is a few blocks away from the wine bar. I don’t know why they set it up that way but that’s how they did it. My official time was 27:22, which was slower than my two previous 5ks, but I didn’t have Ed pulling me and this was a more challenging course.
I got some dry clothes from my car, changed in the car (!) and headed back up to the wine bar. They were serving egg nog, which turns out to be a most excellent recovery beverage. They also had pizza but I stuck with bagels. Found a seat at the bar and waited for the awards. I get impatient with this stuff now but it helped that there was this rather cute, Jon Bon Jovi-like guy standing next to me. (Don’t tell Tommy). So while I sat there all gross and grimy and old and fat and disheveled and sucking down the egg nog, I could fantasize that Jon Bon Jovi found me cute as well, though we never acknowledged each other’s presence. I had never seen this guy before at a race---I am sure I would have remembered!---but he looked like a regular runner and he had friends there that he was talking with about training plans for the week, etc.---not that I was eavesdropping or anything.
Anyway, eventually they got to my age group, and surprise, Jon Bon Jovi is in my age group (just like the real Bon Jovi), which I find out because he gets a prize. And then, I get one, too. I am third in the age group. I get my hardware and head back for the car, humming… oohhhhh we’re halfway there, ohhh ohhh livin’ on a prayer, take my hand, we’ll make I swear-air, ohhhh livin’ on a prayer, livin’ on a prayer…( #1 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the 80’s per Wikipedia). (I tried putting up a link to the Alvin & Chipmunks version of this song, which the dogs find quite disturbing, but I couldn’t get it to work. Search for it if you dare!).
Anyway, I was 3/12 in the age group, 44 of 149 women, and 146 of 359 overall.
