Last year, on September 11th, the Run to Remember 5K was Eric's first ever race! He was so nervous about completing the distance. This year, he's running his second half marathon next month. Amazing.
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| Run to Remember, 2010 |
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Unfortunately, even when offered a free bib, he couldn't run it this year. Because of this guy.
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| Jersey Shore's Pauly D |
Eric was doing his bar bouncer job last night, and Pauly D. was the DJ at Power Plant, which is basically a meat market cluster of bars downtown. After ten hours on his feet dealing with ghetto d-bag Pauly D. wannabes, he was in no condition to run a 5K mere hours after he got off work.
As for me, I'm training for a 50 mile race, which means I've given up the luxury of banging out 3.1 miles and calling it a day. So the alarm was once again set for 5:30 a.m., followed by 6 miles around the neighborhood before the race. Then I grabbed some coffee and this amazing homemade powerbar that our school nurse gave me, changed into red, white, and blue, and headed downtown to Carolyn's house. We met up with another friend and ran the 1.5 miles to the starting line.
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| Really glad I got a picture of this guy at the start. |
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| Police Academy |
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| Hottest girls at the race. |
The speeches before the race started talked about memories of 9/11 and reminded us how important it was to thank service members, police officers, and firefighters. I always thank all the volunteers and police officers I can (unless I'm too out of breath to speak), and I tried to go even more out of my way to today. I guess I failed, because after the race, Carolyn told me that my "thank yous" just sounded like I was thanking the officers for working the race, and didn't convey that I was actually thanking them for all their hard work throughout the career. I have a lot to learn.
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| Starting line |
I didn't have a goal time or anything for this race, considering it was the end of a ten mile run, and it was after 18.7 miles yesterday. As important as it is to prepare your excuses explaining why you didn't do well before any race, I really wasn't stressing over my time because I knew it would be crowded. Last year, it was packed at 1,800 people, and this year, it had filled up with 2,500 patriotic runners.
We began closer to the front of the pack, so it thinned out much quicker and the dodging and weaving was kept to a minimum. Carolyn was the perfect partner (she had run 19 miles yesterday!), our energy seemed to be waxing and waning it perfect synchrony. I'd feel good and push us to go faster, then I'd get tired and want to slow down and she'd be plowing ahead. The course was pretty flat except for two killer hills. One is right before the third mile marker and Carolyn was powering up it like a beast - good thing, too, because otherwise I might have just cried on the side of the road instead of trying to keep up with her.
The course didn't really go through the ghetto much at all (rare for Baltimore races), but we did get to see a man trying to kick a woman out of the house, begging her to please leave, and her screaming she'd see him in court.
Final time: 26:37 (I LOVE when my official time matches my Garmin time), with an average pace of 8:25. I'm pretty happy with that.
The Brooks Adrenaline shoes felt great, and apparently they are the cool kids in the running shoe cafeteria. I got four commenters telling me they wear them, and two of my fellow racers had them today.
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| Can you tell which is mine? |
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| Beer at 9:30 am? Why not! |
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| I always capitalize on the free snacks after a race. |
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| 2010 |
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| 2011 - bet you thought we couldn't get those butts out even further |
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| Seriously....what is wrong with me |
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| I end up being so much more ridiculous than I try to be. |
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| Best photobomb ever. And I look like an idiot again. |
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| For once I got the memo on the facial expressions. |
After the race, Carolyn and I showered at her place and went out for bagels with her husband. Because bagels after a run are even better than regular bagels.
She got to wear her race shirt. I didn't because I didn't have one. I don't understand why they ask for my size when I register if they don't bother to have it when I show up to packet pickup. The shirts were men's sizes, so my normal size was already way too big, and going a size up would basically have meant a nightgown. My only complaint about this race.
What's your favorite post-race food?
OK, i have numerous comments, where do i begin?
ReplyDelete- i love pauly D but would not want to be in a club full of wannabes. i don't blame eric for not doing the 5K.
- ha! a 5K is your warm-up these days.
- kudos to you for banging out an awesome time on some tired post-18.7 mile legs!!!!
- i have the same brooks. beware of the laces. that nylon crap unties at the drop of a hat (even triple-knotted, trust me). i swapped those pretty purple laces for more practical (ugly) white laces.
I freaking love that banana picture.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing my 5K on my "rest day" this week, but I still have excuses prepared. I plan to blame the dog. :)
Isn't it funny to think that some people train for 9 weeks to run a 5K and we can't even call that half a run in this training program. By funny, I mean insane.
These pictures were hilarious!! You are so awesome for running over 18 miles yesterday and pounding out a 5k today! : ) Seriously, you're awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures---especially the banana one. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it that transforms normal food into a delicacy after a run?
Your pictures are awesome and now you're the coolest kid alive because we wear the same shoes. Twinsies
ReplyDeleteHey, I have been wearing Brooks Adrenaline too! That means you're just as cool as me!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I love cheese after a run, and the race I did yesterday had cheese sticks along with water, bananas, etc. I was so happy.
ReplyDeleteAw, poor Eric. He was probably fist pumping the night away with the guidos. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the race! That would definitely be one I'd want to run if I lived in your neck of the woods.