Spring 5K

Only two days after the Run for Julia 5K, I was back out ready to take on another 5K. Heck, I had to improve - right? This race was the Spring 5K and encircled Haines Point. As any DC running (or biking) enthusiast knows, courses don't get any flatter than Haines Point unless you are on a track.

Today's race was special as I had 2 co-workers that were also running the race. Michael (Femi) Adeniji was running his first 5K. Nonetheless, I was expecting great things from him since he is an avid biker. He has the lean body of a runner and at 42, is not yet over the hill like a certain blogger I know. :)

Also running from Resources (my company) was Rob Neale. He's 33 and I've seen his times in the Army Ten Miler and Cherry Blossum race so I knew he was fast. I knew I would be pulling up the rear for my company today.

Rob made a strategic error before the race even started. Being a DC resident, he decided he might as well just run to the race. Well, he ended up running about 5 1/4 miles before the race even started and arrived just moments before the start. No PR's for Rob today!

I wished them both well before the start of the race and told Femi to be sure to not start out too fast (always a rookie mistake). I then assumed my usual starting position at the back of the pack.

One of the frustrating things about being a slow runner is that occassionally the water stops are out of water by the time I arrive. Such was the case this day. It's particularly disappointing when you are struggling and you tell yourself "Just make it to the water stop" only to find no water.

The "lack of water stop" was at about the halfway mark. One of my little internal challenges in a 5K race is to pass more runners than runners that pass me during the second half of the race. If I do this it probably means I have run about as good a race as possible.Well, I passed a guy (I think he was Paul Millner) with about a mile to go. We were even with each other for awhile but I passed him for good with about 3/4 of a mile left.

At about the same I passed Millner I also passed a young couple that was also using the run/walk method. With about 300 yards to the finish, they passed me as I was finishing my last walk break. She looked over at me and saw my number, and then they started speeding up their pace as they realized that I was also in the race. Well, I couldn't have that so I put the hammer down and charged to the finish line. I finished in a time of 36:04...nearly 2 minutes faster than my time of just 2 days earlier (hey, you have to take the moral victories where you can get them). The young couple finished together at 36:15. I'm surprised that they were that far back given where I passed them. I must have been moving faster than I thought.

In the end, I finished 56 out of 59 men and 102 out of 111 total finishers. Nothing to write home about but I'll take any improvement at this point.

Notable finishers in this race were:
Kevin McHale (No, not the guy from the NBA) 16:35 (male winner)
Ted Poulos 17:25 (male runner up) The original 50+ guy.
Femi Adeniji 23:04 in his 5K debut - GREAT JOB!!! 22nd among Males
Jon Palks 23:34 A 50+ friend
Rob Neale 27:27 (the run from home took its toll)
Christy Sporidis 19:59 (female winner) Good job breaking 20:00!
Dee Nelson 25:31 (64 and still going strong!)