Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Camp Patriot Fun Run (A late 5k RR)

I am behind.   At least in the blogging department.   I last posted about the birth of my second son and promised a quick report on a 4th of July fun run I did.   But I have decided that race report might be a bit out of date now, and would rather just catch up on the runs or lack of runs in the last two weeks.
Oh, alright, I will give you cheapie report on the 4th.  I had seen the Camp Patriot Fun Run on my local running calendar for a while and had written it off because it was on a Monday, and Mondays are rest days in the training plan (like I don't do nothin' rest days).  Because I had not run at all the previous week (the whole taking care of mama, a new born, and a three year old thing) I decided I could break my 'Don't Run on Monday" rule.

Monday of the race, I get up and get ready to head over to the starting area.   I needed to be out there before 7:45 AM in order to get registered and ready to go.   That wasn't happening apparently, as I awoke at 7:15 and scrambled to get out the door in time to make it there at the absolute last second.   I arrived out at the softball complex at 7:50, ran over to the registration area and asked if it was too late (I suppose when you are willing to write a $25 check to the Camp Patriot, it is never too late to sign up).  I got signed up, pinned my bib on, and ran over to the start area.   At the start area there was a quick announcement about the run, then the playing of the National Anthem.   A little after 8 we were off.

I started at the back, mostly because I wasn't sure how I was going to react to being back out there.   I quickly realized that I was going to have a great run, and started moving past person after person.   Around half a mile in, a little kid decided that he wasn't going to let me go past him (he was maybe 7-8) and started sprinting to stay ahead.   I just held pace and he eventually slowed down to run with his pop. I thought this was kind of cool anyway.

At the first Mile marker I grabbed my phone to check my progress.   I saw 0.95 miles and a time of 6:55, sweet, just a little off between the two. Let's get rolling.   The course at this point had wrapped around the softball fields and was on a long straight stretch heading past the soccer field and down past the tumbleweeds, out along the interstate.   A quick calculation told me that the turn-around down here would be right around mile 2 to get us back in at 3.1.

I cruised along, passing up water at the turn-around, as I normally do during 5ks, and headed back up a slight hill towards the finish.   Near the bottom of the largest hill, I checked the phone again to see distance, 2.2 miles.   We can finish this thing out strong.   I picked a few more people to start trying to pass and just pushed past them.   As I got to the top of the hill approaching the turn to the finish line I passed a guy who was visibly struggling.   I know he finished but I kind of wondered if he needed help (of course I thought this after I had finished).  I didn't really push the final 0.1 miles like I normally do on a 5k.  I just ran through the finish and picked up my ribbon.   I stopped the RunKeeper app with a time of 23:00. That is my fastest 5k yet, and a nice even number too.   I really need timed events around here to set an actual PR, but for the time being I am claiming victory.


Columbia River - The path travels the river through all three cities.

I managed to run every other day that week.   I went out for an 'easy' 30 minute run Wednesday the 6th, ran 3.1 miles in the 95* heat, under beating sun, not the smartest run I have had recently.   Met my friend for an easy 6 on Friday the 8th, a really enjoyable 6 as we ran along the Columbia River.   I went back out on Sunday for a long run worked 9.1 miles into that long run, as I was trying to make it to the 300 mile mark for the year.   It was easily one of the worst long runs I have had in a while, I wanted to stop after 3 miles (of course the car was 3 miles away at that point).  But I persevered and pushed through the 9 reaching my milestone.
Briefly:
  • 4th - 3.1 mi, 23:00
  • 6th -3.1 mil, 30:00
  • 8th - 5.9 mil, 58:30
  • 10th - 9.1 mi, 1:28:35
  • Total Week - 21.2 mi
  • Total for the year (through the July 10th) - 301.1 mi
This is a huge accomplishment, as I had not run more than a single mile since high school, and now 300 in one year.   That's about enough for now.    I have a couple more exciting running stories to share from last week as I continue to catch up to the present.   Remember - Have fun out there!

2 comments:

  1. So proud of you and all that you have accomplished this past year -- l__l H

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  2. I am so, so, so proud of you. You can't even begin to imagine.
    Love

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