Race Report - Run Run Rudolph 5k

It's December, so that means holiday themed races.  Santa Claus, reindeer, elves, Jingle Bells, and all the trappings.  I chose the reindeer. Rudoph to be exact. 


The 2nd annual Run Run Rudolph 5k and Other Reindeer Games in Huntington.  It's a fun little race.

 

Rudolph

I ran it last year and several people wore costumes (elves, santa, etc.)  So I thought I would do the same this year.  I have a lime green sparkly skirt that just cries out to be part of a costume.  I was going to be an elf, but then a shopping trip to Wal-Mart got me a really awesome Grinch t-shirt.  And the idea to be the Grinch was born.  Green sparkly skirt, red t-shirt with green Grinch, green hat.  Not a total grinch look, but close enough. :-) 

Saturday morning was wet, but warm-ish.  It wasn't pouring rain, but there were drizzles here and there.  I had a slight ear ache and was feeling tired, so I didn't have any big expectations for the race.    I also had another race the next day and that one was my "A race" for the weekend, so I knew I was going to take it easy at this one.  I've been running really slow lately, and knew this race wasn't going to be the exception.  I just wanted to go out and have some fun.


I took off too fast at the start, but settled pretty quickly into what I thought would be a good pace.   I felt ok until about the halfway point, and then started to tire.  It was a mental thing - the halfway point was right by what was the finish to the half I ran back in November.  So I kind of felt like I should've been done when I saw the football stadium.  But I wasn't done - I had about a mile and a half to go, in the opposite direction from that finish line.  But the brain, holding the power it does over the body, told me that I was tired and that the pace I was running was too fast.  It wasn't really, but I started to slow down anyway and walked a few short sections in the last mile. 

 



Somewhere about halfway up the uphill (not steep, but kinda long) at the end of the race, I started to hear the cheers from the finish line.  I don't care how tired you are or how bad you're feeling at the end of a race, those cheers, even if they're not specifically for you, really give you a boost and an added pep in your step, so to speak.  I crossed the finish line with a smile (maybe not literally, but I was smiling on the inside).

 

Race Stats:

Run Run Rudolph 5k, 12/8/12

Finish time:

31:41 (Garmin)

31:39 (Official)

Avg. pace per mile:

10:19 (Garmin)

10:12 (Official)

 

Place:

Overall: 132 out of 258 

Age Group: 10 out of 24