Run with the Dogs 5K, My 4th Year

So D, A and I once again signed up for this.  On Friday, A sent me a message she would drive herself because she was awake at 5am.  I was a little confused by this, but ok.  D and I played with the pups in the park and ate massive gyros, and I saw the race started at 9.  So we decided we would leave at 715 on Saturday, because we had to get gas...and because Decatur is a whole 10 miles away at the very most. So it would take us FOREVER to get there (sarcasm, if you aren't sure).  A texted at 9pm that she was getting off the plane, which now made her message reasonable.

So I got up at 330.  I have been fighting with insomnia since Thanksgiving. It hits when my head gets stuffed up, and it is too late to take a Benadryl.  Saturday's cure was Smallville.  Put me right out.  We got up around 630 and got ready.  We were a bit thrown by the 55 degree weather.  No thermal clothing. Just shorts and a long sleeve shirt.  I wore out my CWX capris at the Smuttynose HM (damn thigh rub!), so I had been wearing my thermal compression capris, but 55 seemed too hot. So just regular shorts and a knee brace.  Water and clif bar, and we were off.

Pre-race  I have awesome hair

Our gas station has a funky pump that I forget about all the time, and of course it was whacked out, so we only got $10 worth of gas.  So the 15 minutes for gas was shortened.  We got to Decatur at 730.  We were there before they even set up.  We waited awhile and finally got our T-shirts and went back to the car and played on the phones.  At 830, we went back out to use the facilities and look for A.  We couldn't find her, and decided she probably slept in.

At 905 they talked about the route, and it had changed again.  This was the 4th time I've run this race and the 4th course I've run.  They said there was 2 big downhills, which I immediately thought 2 uphills.  The race started, on an uphill. 

I ran for awhile, and we turned into a neighborhood.  This race has dogs in it, and the lady by me had hers on a retractable leash, something I cannot stand, and that all the trainers I have used despise, and that the pups' daycare will not even allow.  The dog was all across the road with this cord acting as a tripping hazard.  She didn't pick up after the dog, either.  After half a mile of irritation, I finally told her to control her dog because she was causing a trip hazard.  Yes, I went there.  And then she slowed down and I passed her.    We continued through this neighborhood which was up and down, but no big hills either way.  Mile 1 was 12:58.  I was not surprised by this time, but I was disappointed.

We got out on the main road and ran for what seemed forever.  It was a slight uphill mostly.  We passed Thinking Man's Tavern.  D and I need to go there once.  We went about 6 years ago, and liked it.  Because it isn't on Decatur Square, we forget about it.  Knowing it is only a mile walk, we can deal. We ran all the way to the East Lake MARTA and turned down a steep hill. This little girl passed me.  I thought she looked familiar, but couldn't place her.  (Later when I looked up results, I placed her...she is my friend's daughter...she beat me by 4 minutes...I got chicked by a 9 year old...she placed in her AD, which is awesome!) The Decatur Police did a nice job blocking traffic.  Turn again and another downhill with a turn, so not a lot of picking up speed.  I walked through the water and continued.  A lot more uphill grade (but no major uphill, more annoying).  Mile 2 was 13:13.

One more huge downhill, and we were out on Ponce. I ran in the bike lane.  I noticed I don't like running in my shorts.  Perhaps it is because I have been wearing them since I got them 35 pounds ago.  Perhaps it is because when I wear them on a treadmill, it is flat and my stomach doesn't giggle.  But my stomach actually hurt from gravity.  I started getting closer to Trinity, but the hill got steeper.  I was already at 31 minutes, and knew D had long finished.  This deflated me.  So I walked for 45 seconds.  The cop right before Trinity was doing a good job too.  She had some car flipping her off for not allowing her to turn, because another woman and I were passing. Little things like this make me laugh, and yes, I did stick my tongue out at the woman.

So down Trinity and I knew I was almost done.  I also knew I had another uphill to go.  I did my best but when I saw the final ascent get even steeper, I said fuck it, and walked for a minute.  D was at the top of the hill and probably was wondering what the hell I was doing.  At 39 minutes, I was still in the middle of the hill, and decided to finish.  I ran and turned and ran the downhill.  Finished at 40:53.  Definitely a lackluster performance.  But what should I expect?

D had talked to someone involved with race while waiting.  He said that all the uphills and downhills equalled out to 0 descent/ascent.  D got 27 something. He said it was not a PR.  Neither of us felt great about the race effort from us, but it got done. And we will do it next year, because we like the T-shirt, like seeing all the dogs prior to the race, and it is a good kick-off to the racing year.  (A didn't make it to the race.  Her daughter was too excited to see her).  And this morning, my thighs hurt.  I definitely need to add more hills into my training.

McMenamin in his new scarf

Scuttlebutt in his new scarf doing his Elvis impersonation

  Later we went out on our own pub crawl with our friend J.

View of the Capitol from the first bar

Guinness

Walking to the 2nd Bar, another view

Jailhouse Breakout Stout

View from 2nd Bar

Cabbagetown, walking to 3rd bar

View of downtown, walking to 3rd bar

Almost to 3rd bar, yes, this is a 2-way street