Stowe Botanical Gardens - Summer Nights 5k

I ran the Stowe Botanical Garden 5k last year, so I kind of wanted to do it again this year. I just didn't feel like I had a good day last year.

I think that they made a few changes. The start time was earlier at 5PM, and the course was different. Sun exposure was definitely more. 

As for me, this race will go into my record books with an asterisk beside it. I share more about it later. 

Driving over my car said the temperature was 98 degrees. This had to be on the low side, because sweat started to roll down my arms almost immediately after getting out my car. 

I looked at the course map, and I tried to create a mental image in my brain. This course had plenty turns. Someone decided that they would use red flags as guides for the runners. As I understood it, we were to keep the red flags to our right on all turns. 

5pm couldn't come soon enough. The sun had making it presences felt. 

We got a 10 second count down, and we were off. 

We go around the corner and into the Gardens for a nice inner loop. We go out the far side of the gardens before bending back around to make what would, I guess, be consider an outer loop around the gardens. 

This part is on a gravel path. Most of it was shaded, but not much cooler.

So, there is where the "*" comes into my race.

I am maybe 100 yards behind the leader, and maybe 30 yards behind 2nd, 3rd, & 4th place runners. I can see them running. Then, the leader turns and heads left back around the gardens. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place follow as well. There were flags there, but they were from the inner loop not the outer loop. 

I am familiar enough with the layout that something isn't quite right. I think back to map, and the route goes back out by the road. I tried to say something but with the music and the noise no one hears me. 

I round the building and head off on another trail, make the circle around the pond, and take the long grassy loop back towards the front of the main building. I am looking back, and I am starting to wonder if I made the mistake. There is no one, and I mean no one behind me. 

I cross the finish line first, and nearly 2 minutes in front of the next runner. Apparently, I did follow the correct route, and the first 4 runners went off course. This is not the way that I like to win a race, but it happens. 

Mistakes happen, and all we can do is learn and move on. 

The Cool Down Runner