First Race and Run of the Year

Yesterday D, A and I went to Decatur to run the Run with the Dogs 5K. D didn't run because he hurt his back on Friday. Not sure what happened but he makes me wince when he stands up.

It was 47 and hugely overcast. Luckily I gave this some thought because I was going to wear a coat. I think I would have died.

Anyway we got to Decatur HS and signed in. Really cool T-shirts. We talked to the Race Coordinator. He said about 150 people would run, which was surprising since it benefitted Decatur City Schools. This made me really nervous. I didn't want to be last. I recognized some runners from other races. After about 45 minutes, the race started. It started up a hill. By the time I got to the top, I wanted to stop. But I didn't. Lots of people passing me and lots of people with pups. I found my groove and ran past Agnes Scott College and through a 'hood past Winnona Park Elementary. There were hills but nothing very steep...at least not anything Guinness and I haven't done. Near MM1 some guy asked if I wanted his dog to pull me through the race. I'm not sure if he was being nice or just being a dickhead, insinuating I was slow. I decided he was a dickhead, but let it go (obviously!). I got up a hill the cops who had halted traffic. It seemed to piss off drivers but oh well. Mile 1 was 13:47. Faster than I have been in quite some time. Mile 2 was basically a long flat street. For some reason this was the hardest part for me. There were cops or volunteers at every break in the street for the race, and this section was just a long street with no turnoffs, so no people. There were some people in front of me, but I wasn't intent on catching them.

What was weird Vanilla's post about training for his marathon popped in my head (he recollected himself). And how he had a bad run. And how he didn't want to run anymore. I decided I didn't either. I finally got to Oakhurst and they called at my time as 25 something. But I wasn't at 2 miles. I grabbed a cup of water because I was dying of the heat. But it was empty. I was getting more discouraged. So I could see MM2, and decided to walk. I didn't trudge and I walked like a walk racer, but I walked. I couldn't explain it. So I passed MM2 and I got to a a downhill. I decided to run again (I probably had walked 5o-100 yrds). My friend Kara's advice came into my head...You have 15 more minutes of fun, and then you can sit down. So I got to the hill to go up, and plugged away. I finally got to Dekalb Ave and had to run down it. It was kind of hard because I was running on the wet line of the street that had no curb, just a dropoff and against traffic. Most people slowed down, but some did not.

I could see the light of the school. 2 people were in front of me. They had done the run/walk thing the whole race. They decided I wasn't going to pass them and started running. As I said, it was weird, usually I would try to stay with them, and this time, I was just eh! So I got to the stop light (3 MM) and the rest was downhill.

A and D cheered me before the finish. I crossed at 43:07 which was much better than my time in December. I got some water (they had some!). A got 34 something.

As I write this, it seems like it was a lousy run, but I don't think it was. I think I was just having A LOT of headgames. Weird I guess.

A dropped us off and we were going to go to Lowe's to get my leafblower, but we decided to have some Cincinnati Chili first. Which went with a Pipeline Porter, and another. And a Young's Double Chocolate Stout. And some Left Hand Milk Stout. And some dancing. And some more beer. So my leafblower will be bought this week.

Yes, I had a good Saturday!

Time: 43:07 (run)
Mileage: 3.11 (13:52 min/mile)
Calories: 383
Max HR 187
Avg HR: 179