Valentine’s Race Recap
Several weeks ago, Jeff, one of my business park running
buddies, asked if I was coming to their Valentine’s Race in Denver, NC. I had
run it a few years ago, but with my typical spring marathon plans, it hadn’t worked
out as often as I would like to make a return trip. However, with no spring
marathon on my training schedule this year, I signed up.
See you at the races.....
And with a 9:30 start time, I can sleep late, and still
easily make the start.
To shed a little light on this race, they always hold it the
weekend after Valentine’s Day. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know, and I have never
asked why. Anyway, they should really call this race Cupid’s Revenge because
their course is one of the hilliest 5ks around. Literally, the only flat section
on the entire course comes in the first ½ mile which runs along the western shoreline
of Lake Norman. The rest of the course, I was either going uphill or going
down. The up hills were steep, and I often felt like the downhills were even
steeper. Needless to say, this course
challenges a runner’s lactic acid threshold and max heart rate. I vouch both.
Throughout my many years of running, I find small town races
are some of the best. They can also be some of the most humorists as well. For
example, as we gather for the start, the race director proceeds to tell us the turn
by turn directions for the entire course. And, yes, there are a lot of turns on this
course. When they do this, it always worries me. First, does he assume everyone
knows these streets by heart or I should I have brought a pencil and paper to write
them down. Apparently, getting to finish
is really a test of my ability to follow verbal directions. Second, more
worrisome is the course not well marked or will there be no volunteers
directing us. Running off course in a 5k isn’t so bad. However, I run off
course in a marathon. Now that’s bad.
Next is picture taking. Now, I understand the need for
pictures. Our Winter Classic is a growing race in January, and we like to use
pictures from our race in our advertising for the next year. So, yes, race
pictures are important, but how many do you really need. I lost count on how
many they took yesterday. But it was more than 5, and slightly less than infinity.
Of course, their playing of the Star Spangle Banner had to be
special. Ok, the playing of the Star Spangle Banner is always special, but they added something. He started with one horn and then switch to another one during the second
half of the song. I am not a music expert so which horns that he used is beyond my musical knowledge but it
was still pretty cool how he switch without missing beat. I give him major
kudos for his effort here.
Well, start time was finally upon us, and as one final part
of our race directions, we were all asked to run PRs. Apparently, the race was already 2
minutes late so they need us to run faster so they could get back on time. Now,
from my perspective, if they wanted me to run a PR, I am going to need more lead
time than race morning. I am going to need to go back in time about 25 years to run a PR.
So with a NASCAR style start we were finally off. It needs
to be noted that we used the American flag waving rather than a NASCAR green
flag to start the race. I am not even sure why I mentally noted this but I did.
As happens in many of these smaller races, if you were born
in the year 2000 or later, you have a license to go out fast. I felt like I was
taking a bunch of school kids to the play ground with them rushing by me on
both sides. Yes, they were all school kids so maybe there was a play ground along the course that I missed in the course directions given earlier. Of course, about ¾ of mile
into the race, the rubber meets the road or should I say their lactic acid loaded legs and their hearts thumping along at close 200 BPM were telling their inexperienced brains to slow down.
By the mile, I had steadily moved up to 4th
place. Before a mile and half, I had moved in to 3rd place. That’s as far as
I would climb. Now, it was my turn for my legs and heart turn to refuse to go any faster. My tiny brain was willing
but like I said my legs and heart were steadfast in their refusal to help my cause.
We rocketed down one hill only to be met with a steep
uphill. Back and forth, I went.
That darn kid that ran right in front of me was like a carrot on a
stick. He was just close enough for me to think that I might catch him yet just
far enough out of my reach to make it happen. Ugh, if you are racer then you
know what I am saying and how it feels.
Finally, my Hoka/Charlotte Running Company Jersey flashed
across the finish line. My 18:26 time was better than I expected for the course
or for being 3rd overall and 1st in my age group.
Major kudos goes out to all of the Valentine's 5k Race Crew and
their volunteers. They made this a memoriable event for me which is one of reasons why I
will be back.
The Cool Down Runner
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