Yellow Ribbon 5k (Run for the Troops)

For some reason never published this one but putting it up now, belatedly.

Did this one on Saturday, November 2. Wanted to do a local 5k to get an idea what my training paces should be for the next marathon cycle. There were literally 5-6 races going on locally at the same time. This one offered proximity, reasonable start time, and a cause that did not make me want to throw up.

The Yellow Ribbon Foundation was started by Keith Maupin, who is the father of Matt Maupin, a local soldier who was killed in Iraq. The foundation puts together care packages to send to the troops, and also has a scholarship fund. The race has taken place for several years but has changed locations. This was the first year at Otto Armleder Park.

I have done some training runs through the park as part of my long runs at Lunken Airport, so I thought it would be fun to do a race there. It's just a couple of miles from home and there's plenty of parking. The price was right to and the tee shirt was included (although it is kind of hideous, pink camo with a red white and blue logo so I don't think I will be wearing it in public).

I forgot to bring my phone so I didn't get any pictures. Well, anyway, the race started and finished near the parking lot and the little shelter area. I have found that I can add about four miles onto my Lunken run by adding in the park, but the park loop itself is probably less than two miles around (part of my run is an out-and-back) so during the race we did have to double back on our path a bit. But they had a volunteer at every turn so it was not confusing.

It is a very flat course on the paved trail. Not terribly exciting but racing provides its own excitement, yes?

I looked around before the start for my potential competition. There was a formal presentation of the colors and a girl sang The Star-Spangled Banner. Did a decent job of it. Better than at Prairie Fire. A man who was somehow associated with the race or the foundation or one of the sponsors (unclear which) thanked us for coming and blah, blah, blah. Then we all walked down to the start line.

They were using chip timing, and I noticed that the people who lined up in the front started right on the mat. Had never noticed that before. Guess I have not been at such a small race that used chip timing. Anyway, I was a few rows behind them. There were three women on the start line. One sort of youngish (40 years old and would go on to win the race on the woman's side), one older (I had spotted her when she parked next to me, a skinny, grizzled vet) and one who appeared to be about 35 (she was actually 61!) with long blonde hair pulled into a pony tail, wearing black bun huggers and a sports bra.

Oh well, I was just going to give it my best shot.

So here was the funny thing, we started the race, and I almost immediately caught up to blondie. And I passed her, even while I was slowing down to remove my tyvek jacket and tie it around my waist. So that was surprising.  I knew that there were not many women ahead of me. Passed a few guys along the way as well.

I was thinking that anything in the 27s would be okay and it might even me in the 28s considering the horrible shape I am in. First mile: 8:13. Far better than expected. Second mile: 8:32, more like what I expected. Third mile: 8:16. Then I had a watch malfunction but it took me almost a minute supposedly for the last .1 so I wonder if the 3rd mile marker was off. Anyway, final time was 25:57, with which I was quite pleased.

Hung around because I thought I had a good shot at an age group award and it seemed like they were getting them out pretty quick. They had some good food, too, better than the usual. There were some tasty pastries with some weird name that I didn't recognize. And Starbucks coffee.

So, the got to the awards and I did happen to win my age group, or so they said. I swear I heard them call my name and I went up and collected my medal. Then they took a big group picture. The guy in charge said that they had gotten pics of all of us running and they would put them on the web site maybe even later in the day (but I'm still looking for those. It would help if I knew what web site he was talking about! But I've checked the race site, the race director's site, the foundation's site, and a few of the sponsors and haven't seen anything).

Anyway, later in the day I got a look at the final results, and I didn't win my age group after all. There was another woman who finished far ahead of me. In fact, she was second overall in the race. So I don't know why they called my name, except maybe she hadn't turned her chip in yet or there was some confusion over the results. I know that they did have our ages wrong on our bib numbers, but they were only off by one year so I don't think that was the problem but who really knows. Anyway, feel like a fraud and an impostor and a little weird for accepting the medal. Gosh, would have felt even worse though if I had waited all that time and they didn't give it to me. Yeah, next couple of races I am not staying for the awards. I would rather win and not know until later than be there and not win.

They also had door prizes but I didn't get one of those.

I was 2 of 2 in the age group, 6 of 49 women (in reality, probably only the 6 of us were even trying) and 19 of 85 runners overall.

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Could not resist that title after my 5k this morning.

Have fallen behind on writing about my races. Need to write about Grand Rapids---was putting off finishing it because I thought I would be ordering photos to use but have had some trouble connecting with the photographer. Time to give it up and just finish that one. Also need to write about my Thanksgiving weekend races.

But first, while freshest in my mind, little reports (hopefully little) about Jingle Bell 5k last weekend and Egg Nog Jog today.

Jingle Bell---The Art of Racing in the Freezing Rain

I chose this one over my preferred Reindeer Romp out in Crosby Township because of the later start and shorter drive, which could mean less time away from home if Tommy went shooting and I needed to walk the dogs. In the end he stayed home :-(.

I wasn't entirely sure I would go down for the race given the bad weather. Picked up my shirt the day before just in case, plus it would save me time if I got down there late as happened to me last year.

I am just phobic about driving to this one after the time a few years ago when we had the major storm that morning and I couldn't even get over the bridge and had to white knuckle drive all the way home. Also, the Indy Marathon from 2012 put me off running in the freezing rain.

Decided it was okay so I went down. This one starts and finishes in Covington at the Northern KY Convention Center. You run across the bridge to Cincinnati, make a loop around the mostly industrial area, then back across the bridge to the start. It is a fast course for me. Set my PR on it years ago or close to that.

Goal was 26-ish or faster. Expected to be slower than last year when I just missed placing in my age group. But noticed immediately that the crowds were way down from recent years. I guess if you were the type to sign up on the spur of the moment you might have decided to skip it. Got a spot in my preferred parking lot. Did not recognize any of the fast women.

Cut my warm up short because of the rain. Thought about how ironic it was to be doing a race that is a benefit for the Arthritis Foundation in weather that is just terrible for arthritis.

At the start, tried to line up a little further forward than I have recently. Hard to figure out who was really going to run my pace and who was a walker. Saw the Ben-Gals. Think I was ahead of them.

Was good positioning and got off to a good start without too much crowding. Was mostly running beside an old guy in a kilt for the first mile. Hit first mile in 8:35, which was just about right.

I tried hard to focus during the mostly flat second mile. I was hoping to make that one a little faster. Skipped the water stop but thanked volunteers for being there. Second mile is 8:38. Not faster but not bad. Kilt guy has pulled ahead of me.

Pushed it hard on the last mile, which seemed like it would never end. Kilt guy is still ahead. Kick hard for the last .1 and pass kilt guy and a few other slackers. Third mile was another 8:38---is that amazing pacing or what? And 46 seconds for the last .1

Inside, I had some coffee, a cinnamon bagel, an orange and a banana as I waited for the results. From a distance, it looked to me like dark blue coffee mugs on the awards table. I thought I was in a good position and not many women finished ahead of me. The convention center was pretty empty when I first arrived back there.

Finally got to see that I was, in fact, second in the age group. Woohoo. At the awards table, realized my prize was a Christmas ornament in a blue box, with a pair of socks rubber banded to the back. I have gotten worse. The ornament is a glass ball and there is a little wooden disc attached to it with the race logo that says second place. That's a nice touch.

Official time was 26:24. I beat a lot of women in the age group but had hard time figuring out exactly how many. Maybe 50 or more? I was also 62 of 860 women and 171 of 1339 runners. And although I would always like to be faster I am reasonably satisfied to be running times that are not far off what I have been running for the past 25 years.

Egg Nog Jog---The Art of Racing in Warm Rain

This weekend we are having freaky weather. It's getting up over 60 today with lots of rain. For most purposes this is better than snow or ice, although it is kind of yucky.

I picked my shirt up at the Running Spot yesterday just in case, but I was actually looking forward to this one. No need to worry about slipping on the ice as in previous years. And I am feeling good. And maybe the rain would keep some fast people away, like the cold rain apparently did last week.

(I am really having a hard time figuring out where all the fast women have been the past few weeks. It is strange. There are not a lot of other races going on. Where are they?)

Had an easier time parking than ever, which was a promising sign for my potential to place high in my age group. Got a spot right next to the finish line. Last year I won but I didn't know that so I didn't stick around for the awards. They also give out a Grand Master award to the fastest man and woman runner over 50, and I was harboring a small hope that it might go to me.

Stayed in the car for awhile so I didn't get too wet. Had a little trouble deciding what to wear. It was in the mid-50s but pouring rain. Kind of wanted to wear a poncho or jacket to stay dry before the start but knew I wouldn't need it during the race. Ended up doing a short warmup jog in my windbreaker (not even a running jacket!) and then put it back in the car before heading to Longworths to hang out.

Was wearing thin longsleeved shirt from St. Louis marathon (because it is red but also nice and thin) and capris. Went out to start line at 9:55, which would have been okay except they didn't start the race until after 10:05. This was a little longer than I wanted to stand out in the rain.

Did not really see anybody I recognized. Not just the fast women in my age group missing but almost nobody who looked familiar, except one guy who I remembered from the running club.

Noticeable smaller crowd at start. Like last week, tried to put myself further forward. Could have been a little further forward still because did have to weave around some people for the first block.

This is a tougher course than Jingle Bell, but at least there was no risk of slipping on the ice this year!

First mile takes you out of Mt. Adams and around the Playhouse and down into Eden Park. Second mile takes you to just below the Krohn Conservatory where you do a little out and back on the grass (fortunately just a small one and also nice to only have to deal with mud and not icey slush on this one), then you go back up the hill towards Mt. Adams. The finish line is right by Rookwood Pottery.

First mile was an 8:09. This was faster than I expected and somewhat heartening. Expected to be faster in the second mile but ran 8:36. This was still okay. Course had changed some from the past few years when we ran around Mirror Lake. This made for more uphill in the last mile, I think. Last mile was an 8:55.

I was breathing hard and making a lot of noise those last two miles. Also had to spit a lot, something I have just started doing in the past year. Feels good. Gives me a weird lift. So now I am not just a fat old lady running slow, I am a fat old slow lady who does gross things like spit and wipe her nose on her sleeve.

Kicked hard and passed a few people at the end. Last .1 was 48 seconds. Final time on my watch was 26:28---started it when I crossed the start line.

Grabbed my gear bag out of my car (which for some reason took me a ridiculously long amount of time) and headed for Longworths. I had tried to get a cup of water at the finish but they seemed to be out of cups. Figured I would at least have something to eat and drink then maybe stay if the awards looked good or if I really thought I might have won something. I knew there were not too many women ahead of me.

At Longworths, lots of people drinking beer. I had some water, then a little egg nog (not as good as remembered), half a Panera cinnamon bagel, and half a banana. I stood in a quiet corner by the Duck Dynasty video game (really). Was gonna take a picture but thought better of it.

Decided to go in the bathroom and change my shirt. Bathroom quite stinky. Tried not to touch anything. Did wash my hands with soap, dried them on my shirt.

Back out to wait in bar, realized I could log a beer on Untappd. They had free pitchers of Miller Lite. Did not taste bad. One more beer to go to earn my Lite Weight badge.

Saw the Race Director's wife---the woman I see in my neighborhood sometimes who tells me that she also sees me out running and it creeps me out a little bit and also makes me feel bad because she is so skinny and fit looking and I am sure she can run faster than I do or else she must not ever eat, and I feel like a water buffalo compared to her---standing by a box of trophies. I was hoping prize would be something nice and not just cheesy medal. But mostly hoping that I did not stay around for nothing. That is always the worst.

So they finally do the awards and guess what, I did get the Grand Master. Where were all the fast women? Woohoo for me. But the prize was just a cheesy medal after all.

Stayed around for remaining awards (to be polite) and also for door prizes (good odds because a lot of people had left by then) but did not win any door prize.

They had my official time as 26:43, which I don't really understand because it did not take me that long to cross the start and I know my watch should be accurate for my chip time. So not sure if 26:43 is supposed to be gun time or what but it seems a bit off. Does not really matter, though because even 26:28 would still put me in same place among women and masters and age group. So was 1/18 in age group (and first Grand Master), 19 of 177 women, and 95 of 395 runners overall. This was about 75 fewer runners than last year. Not sure if there were a lot fewer walkers but I would guess so.

Maybe if my diet is successful I will lose some weight and pick up a bit of speed before the winter is over. We will see.