2nd stop on my 4 x 5K Spring Tour was this morning's St Paddy's Day Dash Down Greenville. I haven't exactly been running wild in preparation the past couple of weeks, but I did squeeze in one feeble attempt at speedwork.This race always brings out a slightly wacko crowd, and the tradition continued this year. Guys in blue speedos, guys as leprechauns, guys with green hair, guys with green body paint, guys who clearly had too much beer for breakfast ...
We had 1700+ lined up at 8:30 this morning, including my 15-yr old nephew from Florida, who I roped into running his first 5K! The start was crowded, and as to be expected with any popular "fun" race, you have to deal with the wrong people in the wrong place at the start. Oh well, at least they're out and about, and I can support that. So with a little bit of weaving, dodging, colliding, and sidewalk jumping, I finally made it into the clear.
I forgot to set my stop watch at the start, so I just ran by "feel". I passed on the free beer at the first stop, took a little water on the second stop, did the best I could on a little hill about half mile from the finish, and came home in 25:03 (34 secs faster than my previous 5K, and yes, I'm counting). I've got another race in two weeks, and I'm getting within spittin' distance of my PR.
As for the 15-yr old stud, he finished in 32:16. He may be taller, bigger, and probably stronger than I am, but for the time being, the old dude's faster. Even so, for a first timer, I salute him for going out and getting it done.
6 comments:
Is your spring tour televised? It should be! Nice work, and nice work skipping the green beer. Though it wouldn't have tempted me. And yay for your nephew! I hope he was proud of himself and of his uncle. You may be an old dude, but you're OUR old dude.
:)
You gotta watch out for those young'uns and put them away early in a race,otherwise they'll outsprint you at the end. I did a Race For The Cure 5K with my nephew, nicely staying with him, encouraging him, and 100 yards from the end he suddenly booked and beat me by 5 yards, I got him back though. I took him on a four mile run and two miles out I reminded him of his race manners, bet him I coulld beat him back to the house and took off. I was sitting on the porch sipping ice tea when he finally showed up hot and bedragled.
Maybe that beer would have got you even closer to the PR...maybe. You're good to give it up and to have been there to see your nephew run his first 5k. Did you mention the men usually aren't in Speedos?...usually.
And to think, I just wrote that last rather incoherent and grammar-challenged comment the day AFTER all the beer.
Your 15 year old nephew said that he shouldn't have passed on the free beer, and maybe that would have helped his time ?!?
Excellent job!!! It's always interesting to see what people show up in at some of the more themed races!
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