Saturday, October 29, 2016

10/29/16 Tenino Pumpkin Dash 5K

The Ghost of the Ghostmuster.  My second time here since the PTA took over from Thurston County.  Attendance is way down this year, with two other race options in Olympia today.  But I take the drive to my old classic course.  Jody here.  And Nicole J, doing her first 5K.  Good thing she brought a bunch of friends with her, otherwise it would have been that much smaller an event.

Damp but no rain or wind and a nice temperature for running.  Take my time with a nice long warm up.  A couple of regulars here, with Tom and I both wearing our long sleeve 2003 Ghostmuster shirt over our 2002 Ghostmuster shirt.  What are the odds of that?  I will go with the short sleeves for the race.





Start - new start location, back a little from the old start, but still in the parking lot.  Course was re-certified in 2014and will be accurate with my GPS.  Acknowledgement to the kid who designed the T-shirt.  Preregistration was $25 with shirt.  5K and 10K start at the same time.  Not crowded we make it over the speed bumps in the parking lot and on to the roads.

Mile 1 - (7:45) - Feel slower than I am running.  Should be able to go faster but can not get it going.  10K splits off and I am dismayed to only see two people ahead of me make the turn.  About 7 others are still in it, in the 5K, ahead of me.

Mile 2 - Going just a little faster, but it is a struggle.  San not concentrate.  My mind keeps wandering and I have to bring it back to the race, but then off I go daydreaming again.  Passed by the first woman.  Loren is ahead of me and not gaining.  Usually he is much faster, maybe I can catch him.  I try to surge and it just is not happening.

Mile 3 - No pain.  Breathing and legs are equal in holding me back.  Realize that I will get in under 24 minutes and I am happy with that.

Mile 3.1 - Happy to be done.  Finish time is better than I felt like I was doing.  Jog back to cheer in Jody.  See a guy carrying his shoes and running in wet socks.  Jody almost catches a guy dressed as a taco.  Now she is done and we both go out to cheer on Nicole.





Good to race with Jody and Nicole, but I think I might have had a better experience at the race in Capitol Forest today.  Well it was good for speed work I guess.  And always interesting to test myself on a familiar course.

Nice to see Craig and Rachel and thanks to them for timing the race.

23:43
8th place of 45
Race#401
5K#106

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