Marathon Maniac #660 Run-Race-Record: 7-23-16 WA State Senior Games 5K

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

7-23-16 WA State Senior Games 5K

We have been talking about this one for years. We finally qualify as we both turn 50 this year. Tammy (10K) is here to enjoying her first time as well. Also Martinho in the 10K and Nona in the 5K. April to cheer us on.

Enter Tumwater High School Stadium to the sounds of the Olympic theme music. Polo shirt instead of a T-shirt is different. Our races are small but there are lots of track and field events going on. We will see a 99 year old get a gold medal and PR for throwing the shot put from his wheel chair. So inspiring. 87 year old legend Keith Woods is here to race against me.

5K, 10K and the race walk on the track all start at the same time, but at different locations. I have had a decent 2 mile warm up, followed by strides and feel good. Feel great actually. Remember that nagging right foot issue? I decided two days before Lakefair that it was just not healing itself, so I opted out of that race and when to the foot doctor. I got a shot in my inflamed deltoid ligament and felt instant relief. That was 8 days ago. I have eased back into running and all feels good. Now lets see how fast I can go, and hopefully not re injure myself.

Start - Jody, Nona and I are lined up with the other 5Kers. Lots of cones and marks on the ground, it should not be hard to stay on course. Plus volunteers to direct. We get the signal that the races have started and off we go. My decent warm up is apparent as I find myself going fast. Settle into a good hard pace and hope to hold on. Nona catches up to me, then eases back. I will run with the fear of her just behind me all race and in fact she will finish just a few seconds behind me.

Mile 1 - 5:27!!!, no that can not be right. That is mile 1 for the 10K race that started a ways behind us. We are at 0.75 or so.

Real mile 1 (Mile 1.00 on the GPS) - Here is our mile marker and the watch reads 7:25. Still way too fast, I know that it will not hold. Running alone, the guy ahead of me is too far ahead. Can't sense anyone just behind me. This place will hold for the rest of the race.

Mile 1.3 - The first two 10K racers pass me. They hold a big lead in their race and no others will pass me.

Mile 2 - Breathing is more difficult than getting the legs moving. Keep pushing and wishing it was over.

Mile 3 - Slowing but not bad. Now the turn into the stadium. The clock is reading 3 minutes less than my watch. Going by my watch, I have a chance of beating 24 minutes. It is going to be close, but that gives me the incentive to run hard all the way through the finish line.

Finish - 23:58 on the watch and that will be my official time. Nona just behind me. Now recover and wait a few minutes for Jody. Jody will see the 24 minutes on the clock (running without a watch) and think that she has a massive PR until I give her the disappointing news. Still 27 something is a good time.

We wait and cheer in Martinho and then Tammy.