Flamingo 5K: 4/25/09

Saturday, April 25, 2009
Flamingo 5K at the Melbourne Art Festival 2009 [Done! 28:48 pace-9:18!]

So here's the story. This was my first 'short race' in a long time! I know that I dont even come close to my PR from last year anymore, and I did NOT want to go to this thing. I actually haven't been looking forward to it. But J and I were going to go, she was excited, so last night I drove across town to make sure I could sign up (they capped at 1800).

My running buddy Jeanine (J) wanted to be there at 6-6:15 because of parking, so I needed to leave my house by 5:30; I was up at 4:45. Geek in me, checks email before coffee, to find that J's daughter is sick and she can't go!!!! My thoughts 1) poor baby feels bad again! 2) poor J, I know she was looking forward, 3) poor ME! I didn't even want to do this and JUST paid the $31 last night! ugh! I sat and contemplated whether I would go back to bed and 'donate' the $$. I didn't want Matt to kill me so I managed to get myself there.

I parked in the parking lot by the bridge. The weather was around 65-70 degrees at that time and a pretty good breeze was blowing in from the east...and There was a 'PARTY' going on!! -- Oh my gosh, there was a spread like I dont think I have ever seen before for a 5K! I start to get excited now (food always does that :) There was live music going and it was already crowded at 6:45 (race started at 8:00). I walked up to get my chip timer and they only have chips numbered to 1500!!! ... my number is 1515... I am beginning to wonder if it just wasn't meant to be when they finally found the last box of chips.

While they were off hunting the chips, I see my neighbor guy that sometimes I see running in the neighborhood! He told me its his first race ever and, since we have a similar pace, we hung out, warmed up, lined up and ran the first half of it together. This was the first time I have ever pre-ran at a 5K. I know lots of people do it to shake the cobwebs off, get that pace going before they start, but I just never have. Today though, I had to go put my stuff in the car, which was probably only a third of a mile away, so little over half-mile we warmed up. The lineup was LONG, and its the first 5K I've been to where you lined up by pace, which I thought was really cool.

The beginning of the race was a bit slow - soooo many people and a single lane of road, it was difficult to maneuver around. I had begun to wonder if I should just run with the flow. We found some breaks on the causeway though, as people started to fall behind and we stayed together until the halfway mark. We grabbed water and headed back, but when we hit the second hill and I gained a little distance on my neighbor and I was on my own.... (ROCK ON J! All that causeway training IS worth it!!)

During the second half of the race, it seemed like I gained a good bit of speed, but my garmin says its only 10 seconds, so I guess that 2nd causeway cross must have slowed down everyone else...whoohoo! I passed so many people! LOL. Finished in 28:48. (28/103 in my age group). Not a PR, but I'll take it - did I mention there were 1800 people in ONE lane?! I dont think I will ever forget the view of the massive crowd plowing up that bridge in front of me, it was something to behold!

We were suppose to go to a meditation workshop this afternoon - have been looking forward to it for 2 months. (Matt wanting to find his Zen). BUT Matt needs to be picked up from school right smack in the middle of it so we aren't going. I did find an alternate to go next weekend though.

Long story short - nothing turned out like I planned today, but it's all good - it turned out to be A OK! :)

28 597 1515 Chandra Claycomb 34 Palm Bay Fl 28:48 9:18