Browning Ross Summer Sizzler 5K

Well with only two weeks left, including tonight, in my Summer Sizzler Series I wanted to go all out tonight. Knowing that next Thursday, the last week, I will be doing a 5K race Wednesday night (Run for Tony) also.

Pre Race

Felt real good, I ate well all day and was very hydrated for the race. I ran 8.5 miles Tuesday and took last night off so I was ready to go. This is the first year I am doing these races but have heard that as it gets near the end the turn out gets greater. Apparently a lot of the local HS cross county teams come to get in a work out. So I pull in the parking lot with about 10 minutes before the race starts and it is packed. Looks like over 50 runners, and unlike when it is all adults running there are no cheering sections. But with the HS kids you got the parents and siblings that come to watch. Hey the more the merrier.

I pay my $5.00 and say hello to a few of the guys I have come to know over the last two months. And soon we are lining up for the start. I go to the back as I always do, and have my eye on a guy that always beats me. He can beat me by as little as :10 seconds or as much as a 1:30, so my plan was to pace with him for the race.

The Race

We are off and the guy I was going to pace decides that he is not going out strong. Well I felt good so I went out with out him. Was running good passed a few people but for the most part the pack was well ahead of me after ¼ mile (I will get to that later). I was pretty much by myself from ½ mile to 2.10 miles. Then I felt a guy coming up on me and passed me pretty easy. And at this point we got a mile to go and I look back and I am clear no one that I can see.

I am getting ahead of myself here. I get to the one mile mark in 8:49 that is a very good mile for me. Then the 2^nd mile is 8:54, very good for me to do two sub 9 minutes consecutively. So I am feeling good and know I am close to a PR pace for me. I keep going strong and finish at 27:37. Missed a PR by :04, but I am cool with that. I was very happy with my race tonight.

Post Race

When you cross the finish line you are handed a card that you write your name, age, and time on. Then you put it in a box and they calculate the results (I told you it is $5.00 so it works for me). But the cards are numbered by what place you come in. Mine had number 60 on it. I asked Ringo (race director) how many people were in the race tonight and he tells me 65. Now I know I am not fast but 27:37 and I am only 60 out of 65, there are some fast men and women in this race.

Ringo brought out fresh peaches for everyone and gave out the awards. Happy to say that I was 3^rd in my age group (30-39). And yes there were 3 in my age group.

Will post the official results when they are updated.

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Batsto Village Pig Iron 5K

Pre

I know it was only a 5K but like I said before I really wanted to go for a PR on this race since it was my one year anniversary race. That being said I did my best to really eat good all day Saturday. OK so I had a piece of cheesecake Saturday night, company brought it over and it would have been rude of me to not have a piece. I made sure I was well hydrated with water and Cytomax also. So I went to bed feeling like I did all I could with regards to eating and drinking pre race.

Woke up at a nice time Sunday Morning and had a bowl of Oatmeal and some water. Got ready for the race and got the family packed in the mini van and off we went. I had everything I needed for the race so all was great at this point. The only thing I did forget was I wanted to bring a banana and eat in the car on the way over. Oh well one banana would not get in my way of a PR.

Got my number and signed the kids up for the kid races and got there bibs on as well. In no time it was time for the National Anthem and we walked about 1/8 of a mile to the start. Lined up and off we went. This is not a heavily publicized race and last year was the first time they had it. Last year there were about 190 people and this year there were about 225 or so.

Race

I went off real well and was in a good zone. It is slightly up hill to start followed by a very nice downhill. The only problem with this downhill is knowing in about 2.25 miles I will start to come up it. Very uneventful run just felt good. Got to the turnaround and I was at about 14 minutes. This was a great time for me but knowing the hill was going to be there soon I was not thinking PR any more. Got to the hill and pushed up it passing a few people who stopped to walk the hill. I was running with a lady the last ½ mile and we both did a great job of pushing each other. She crossed the line right before me and yelled out “that’s a PR”. I look at the clock and say “not for me”.

I was not at all upset with this as I know this is a good course and it was hot and humid (yeah the excuses’ come out now). I can honestly say I gave all I had on this race. I crossed in 28:00 (clock said) there were no chips and the official time on the website said 28:10. What ever I will take it. Last year when I did this race I did 32:13 so I did better by 4 minutes. In case you are wondering my PR is 27:33 (on a very flat course).

Post

I have to tell you for a small race they had the best post race food and beverages. And they had plenty of it. Tons of door prizes that they picked at random (I did not win anything). Kids got to race and play games. The family had a great time and I hope to do this race every year.
Also got to talk to a few guys that do the Thursday night series with me.

Here are the official results. I am number 131.

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