I?ve been really looking forward to this race because DW was entered into the 5K walk. She makes my heart go pitter patter. Race day found us somewhat discouraged as there was steady rain. Though rain had been in the forecast, we were hoping the threatening........I mean encouraging letter to the weatherman would have had the rain later in the day. Our spirits were as soggy as a really wet soggy thing.
Fashion report: DW wore navy blue sweats, a red sweat shirt she borrowed from DS and some cute little shoes. I wore a ribbed Batman tank top, black stretchy pants, tech sox and Asics that used to be white.
The rain abated, though the clouds looked like they were there to stay. Mrs. P soon found her friends who were also in the 5K walk. By 7:45, the walk began and the 15K was scheduled to start 25 min later.
As the 5Kers were headed across the starting line, I ran into Greg and Rodney. We?re all in the same AG, however, they?re both crazy fast. Soon Rodney will be in a different AG. Bless his heart. I was looking for Nick and Mary, the teen wonders. They were no where to be found.
Start time was delayed about 10 min because the chip timer thingy wouldn?t reset. We mulled around and part of my anatomy suggested we explore one of the port a potty. While we?re straining patience, the dude with the megaphone started, ?Ten, nine, eight.....?. People bailed out of the last minute potty stops. And we were off!!!! I?ve quit starting near the rear. There were not as many people to pass. Though the running has been lacking, my legs felt pretty good. The plan was 9:00 min. miles until we hit McKinley Hill. After the top of the hill, do fartleks until the last 1/4 mile, then kick.
The course is set so the ½ way point is at or near the peak of the hill. At mile 3, Jeri caught up to me. We met at Wayne?s Revenge. She was at the Nashville Marathon. This time she passed me.
. There was still 6 miles to kick her butt. The mile 4 marker came up and we could see the turn for the hill. Sweet. I was ready this time. We turned the corner and my bladder urged me to look for dignified relief. I picked up the pace and heard the Boomer couple?s boom box blasting out ?We Are the Champions?. These people are a fixture on this hill. I don?t know how it happened, the peak of the hill seemed to get farther away. I reached into my utility belt and pulled out....?Batgirl?s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition????? Doh!!! Though littering is bad, DW would apply some serious restrictions to the Batpole if she knew I had this.
The hill began to be a struggle as I made the mistake of making eye contact with it and the hill started to suck away at my very sole. As my legs got heavier, the nearby bushes looked more inviting. ?It?s a trap!? my Spider senses screamed. Somewhere, my heart found new energy and the hill became one more challenged conquered.
The down hill was something else. It?s very steep and bladder jarring. I was prepared for this. Well, the steep part anyway. I reached into my utility belt and withdrew some ?Glide? and applied it to the bottom of my running shoes.....That works a lot better in cartoons. . Anyway, the down hill went pretty well and the runners were impressed at some of the houses overlooking Traverse City?s West Bay. While thinking of the property taxes these people must pay, it dawned on me that I had turned into my Dad.
I saw Jeri again and drew a target on her back and started the fartleks. The lack of running began to take a toll. The fartleks did pay off though. I didn?t catch Jeri, but my time was good for my history with this race.
Mile 8 brought us to the Grand View Parkway?s underpass. 6 female runners passed me quite handily. There was a sign telling us to smile for the photographer. Doh!!! We were getting our picture taken and I was getting beat by a girl! A bunch of girls!!!.....A bunch of girls in running shorts.........mmmm.....The underpass did not provide opportunities to pass. The photographer said ?Smile Ladies?. I yelled ?I?m not a lady!?. When the course opened up again, I did pass. There were hundreds of people along the course cheering for me!!!
Most of these people I didn?t even know!!! And there was not a port a potty in sight! Those people may not have realized they were on the parade route and had great seats to view the parade. How lucky for them.
On the last turn, I opened up and blew past a woman I?d been jockeying for position with for over a mile. When I passed her, I turned and yelled ?Come on!!!? and she kicked and started to pass me again. I ran even harder and she followed suit. This was kewl. I think I beat her. If I did, it was by less than a second. I love the tight finishes.
DW caught up to me and I asked her the question every woman wants to hear. ?Where?s the bathroom??.
15K- 1:25:47. About the 50% of the pack. 35th out of 46 in AG. This was a course PR.
Nick and Mary were at the finish line. They arrived late because of traffic. Their mom dropped them off a few blocks out and the made the delayed start in time. Nick wouldn?t tell me how he did, though I?m sure he did well. Mary took 1st in her AG. She said there weren?t that many.
After, DW and I went to tour a garden and took Mom lunch at the nursing home. She showed us around and that?s a great sign.
Edited to add pictures.
------------------
Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP
My User Profile[/URL" target="_blank">
http://This message has been edited by smpankowski (edited Jul-15-2007).
Fashion report: DW wore navy blue sweats, a red sweat shirt she borrowed from DS and some cute little shoes. I wore a ribbed Batman tank top, black stretchy pants, tech sox and Asics that used to be white.
The rain abated, though the clouds looked like they were there to stay. Mrs. P soon found her friends who were also in the 5K walk. By 7:45, the walk began and the 15K was scheduled to start 25 min later.
As the 5Kers were headed across the starting line, I ran into Greg and Rodney. We?re all in the same AG, however, they?re both crazy fast. Soon Rodney will be in a different AG. Bless his heart. I was looking for Nick and Mary, the teen wonders. They were no where to be found.
Start time was delayed about 10 min because the chip timer thingy wouldn?t reset. We mulled around and part of my anatomy suggested we explore one of the port a potty. While we?re straining patience, the dude with the megaphone started, ?Ten, nine, eight.....?. People bailed out of the last minute potty stops. And we were off!!!! I?ve quit starting near the rear. There were not as many people to pass. Though the running has been lacking, my legs felt pretty good. The plan was 9:00 min. miles until we hit McKinley Hill. After the top of the hill, do fartleks until the last 1/4 mile, then kick.
The course is set so the ½ way point is at or near the peak of the hill. At mile 3, Jeri caught up to me. We met at Wayne?s Revenge. She was at the Nashville Marathon. This time she passed me.
. There was still 6 miles to kick her butt. The mile 4 marker came up and we could see the turn for the hill. Sweet. I was ready this time. We turned the corner and my bladder urged me to look for dignified relief. I picked up the pace and heard the Boomer couple?s boom box blasting out ?We Are the Champions?. These people are a fixture on this hill. I don?t know how it happened, the peak of the hill seemed to get farther away. I reached into my utility belt and pulled out....?Batgirl?s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition????? Doh!!! Though littering is bad, DW would apply some serious restrictions to the Batpole if she knew I had this. The hill began to be a struggle as I made the mistake of making eye contact with it and the hill started to suck away at my very sole. As my legs got heavier, the nearby bushes looked more inviting. ?It?s a trap!? my Spider senses screamed. Somewhere, my heart found new energy and the hill became one more challenged conquered.
The down hill was something else. It?s very steep and bladder jarring. I was prepared for this. Well, the steep part anyway. I reached into my utility belt and withdrew some ?Glide? and applied it to the bottom of my running shoes.....That works a lot better in cartoons.
. Anyway, the down hill went pretty well and the runners were impressed at some of the houses overlooking Traverse City?s West Bay. While thinking of the property taxes these people must pay, it dawned on me that I had turned into my Dad. I saw Jeri again and drew a target on her back and started the fartleks. The lack of running began to take a toll. The fartleks did pay off though. I didn?t catch Jeri, but my time was good for my history with this race.
Mile 8 brought us to the Grand View Parkway?s underpass. 6 female runners passed me quite handily. There was a sign telling us to smile for the photographer. Doh!!! We were getting our picture taken and I was getting beat by a girl! A bunch of girls!!!.....A bunch of girls in running shorts.........mmmm.....The underpass did not provide opportunities to pass. The photographer said ?Smile Ladies?. I yelled ?I?m not a lady!?. When the course opened up again, I did pass. There were hundreds of people along the course cheering for me!!!
Most of these people I didn?t even know!!! And there was not a port a potty in sight! Those people may not have realized they were on the parade route and had great seats to view the parade. How lucky for them.
On the last turn, I opened up and blew past a woman I?d been jockeying for position with for over a mile. When I passed her, I turned and yelled ?Come on!!!? and she kicked and started to pass me again. I ran even harder and she followed suit. This was kewl. I think I beat her. If I did, it was by less than a second. I love the tight finishes.
DW caught up to me and I asked her the question every woman wants to hear. ?Where?s the bathroom??.
15K- 1:25:47. About the 50% of the pack. 35th out of 46 in AG. This was a course PR.
Nick and Mary were at the finish line. They arrived late because of traffic. Their mom dropped them off a few blocks out and the made the delayed start in time. Nick wouldn?t tell me how he did, though I?m sure he did well. Mary took 1st in her AG. She said there weren?t that many.
After, DW and I went to tour a garden and took Mom lunch at the nursing home. She showed us around and that?s a great sign.
Edited to add pictures.
------------------
Never regret anything that made you smile, SteveP
My User Profile[/URL" target="_blank">
http://This message has been edited by smpankowski (edited Jul-15-2007).
