Really wanted to run a 10K so I jumped in this race, it was nice in that it was only $15 if you didn't get a timing chip--coolio. There were 3000 running altogether including 5K walk for benefiters. I managed to get off on 123rd S and travel south so I was a little late, grabbed my bib # and got out to the waiters in the mall. It was pretty well organized, I was just late. I got there when they were making the call for the red balloon wave 10K so i figured I was good. I went outside into the freezing weather--I had already decided that driving in a warm car was the best warm-up, since running would just make you cold. Going outside the start commenced and not knowing what was going on I jumped in, luckily, as it was the green wave, those who were 7:30 mile pace or better, which was the wave i was supposed to be in, but I didn't really know what happened until the end.
There were about 100 people in this wave and I passed 90 of them in the 1st 1/2 mile. I could see the trio of 3 leaders behind the police car which I found out later was Jared from T-ville, Cody from Kearns, and I guess Mike M. Then a white t-shirt (Juan?), a black t-shirt (Terry) and about 3 stretched out in a line in front of me (Chris, Thomas, Craig?). It was cold and my left shoe was loose but I just tried to concentrate on the task at hand. I passed 2 guys after about 2 miles, which was roughly the same point where the cold was no longer bothering my face. As we came back onto mall territory I caught up to Chris in orange and we had lost sight of Terry, we weren't sure about the turn and I yelled back to some volunteers about where to go but didn't hear or get a response, we followed the main road and all was well. Chris had shrugged about where to go but then it was clear sailing. I passed Chris and could hear him latch onto me, we had a couple nice straightaways and I could see the police car, the path ahead, and got some encouragement from some corner volunteers, "You're almost halfway!" That was nice since there were no mile markers. I could see that we were going to run into the wave of 5K walkers, oodles of them. I was trying to catch up to Terry who was approximately 25 seconds ahead. I also at this point felt the lactic acid wall, but that faded as we hit the 5K pack, and Iunfortunately I never saw Terry again. Then it was 5K dodeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge. I went left, right and sometimes right up the middle, saying "Sorry" at least 1/2 a dozen times for bumping people. I didn't mind so much, just figured that's the way this race was. I learned later that I guess they changed the 10K course due to weather, it was an out and back course instead of the double loop smash into slow 5Krs. It was all fun, a Thanksgiving race, cold breath coming out of you, muscles cycling, pushing your own limits.
With 1.5 to go i started to hit the joggers and I tried to get to the top of my aerobic but weaving removes a little concentration. I did sprint it in and I was a little disappointed with the time but with the cold, the 5k wave etc. I've rethought that and I'm okay with it. Go Thanksgiving and I hope you can be thankful to a God who is really Sovereign and who is real, the One and Only True God, Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ His Only Son, and the Spirit, Three in One.
http://www.milliseconds.com/participants/final_list/overall/143681
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