Beat the Heat 5k Recap
I race around Charlotte as the mood hits me, but I enjoy getting out to race in other communities. See some new faces. Make some
new friends. Check out some new areas.
Over the weekend, I drove up to Winston Salem for the Beat
the Heat 5k. Having run numerous races organized by the TCTC, I know their
races will always be top notch and attract a strong field of competitors.
Saturday evening’s race was no different.
There were plenty of runners competing which had participated
in the Olympic trials. There was one runner which had just wrapped up competing
in the PAN-AM games earlier in the week.
Skipping forward, the “Beat the Heat” course is one you either love or hate.
For spectators, it is great. Runners pass near enough that they can be seen
several times. For runners, for me personally, the course is a tough one. The
opening mile is okay. There is a small climb but it has ample downhill to make
up for it. Roughly, around a mile and quarter the course turns up hill. There
are a couple of false flats over the next mile or so but runners are essentially running
uphill the entire way.
Perhaps it is poetic justice or perhaps it is the race
organizers way of playing a joke on the runners but when I passed two mile
point, I noticed this grave yard to the right of road. How appropriate was it? I
would say extremely appropriate. My legs were dying. My lungs were gasping for
air. Oh, yeah, my glut and hamstring hurting badly.
Yet, I would not allow myself to give in to the temptation of
slowing down nor dare shall I say that ugly four letter word – “quit”
Once we topped the hill, the last half mile consist of a set of gentle
downhill rollers to the finish. If a runner has any mojo left in their legs, this is
the section to use it. The guys around me throw in surge while I do my best to
pull them back after each surge. My glut and hamstring provided no help by
sending a constant stream of pain impulses to my brain. At three miles, Joe
throws one massive surge and goes flying back by me. There is nothing left in
my legs today. Throw in the glut and hamstring complaints and I am ready for
the finish line.
I cannot explain it but doesn’t the last .1 of mile seem to
take forever. Life moves into slow motion between 3 miles and 3.1 miles. Too bad race clocks
don’t slow down to match.
I finished 36th overall. This placed me second in
the Grand Masters’ division for the USAT&F standings. I ran 18:13. Joe, who
surged past me in the last tenth, finished in 18:09. He won first place in our
Grand Masters’ division. So close yet so
far.
Helping out runners this year was the weather. Normally,
July gets plenty of hot and humid evenings. This year the temperature was in
mid 80s with a nice breeze blowing. I cannot say if it improved times overall,
but at least the running was bearable.
The Charlotte area was well represented. Chad ran in the
16:20s and scored an age group award. Alana had a great race to finish 2nd
overall among the ladies in 17:20.
TCTC, the Beat the Heat 5k organizers and volunteers did a
fantastic job putting on this race. Their efforts keep this race on the top of
a runner’s must do list year after year so kudos to them.
Enjoying an evening in Winston Salem,
The Cool Down Runner
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