Turkey Trot 5k
Clearwater
I was a little faster this year than last year but still just barely made top 125 (or maybe I didn't, they hand out finisher's cards to top 125 men and women, but I think a few guys didn't take their cards).
Had a very short warm up but still felt pretty good. Warmup was 0.42 miles including two strides. Morning was crazy. I had signed up myself, Jessica's kids last couple of years had not wanted to do it or weren't here. Last night Jacob was talking about doing it if we woke up on time and Sophia also said that and Aubrey said she'd go if everyone else was going. Got up a little after 5:00, Jacob was up at 5:15 and Jessica also up and ready, left the house just after 6:00 and was about 6:25 when we parked. Jacob headed over to registration and I went with Jessica to start line pushing the stroller with Charlotte bundled up. High 50's for the temp, felt good while moving. Saw Jenny and Claudia as well as Tom before the race. Jacob made it back to the starting area with a few minutes to spare. Didn't have much warm up but felt reasonably ready.
Took off at the start and was nearly taken out by someone tripping. Jacob hasn't run in forever but he's been staying fit with gym and working on muscle ups (can do 7 in a row). He hung with me pretty much the first mile which I did right around 6:45, but that mile has a good downhill.
Course turns left and I'm hanging on but somewhere in that second mile I'm slowing down. I do pass some people here and there but also get passed here and there. I'm struggling and have a pace over 7:00 for most of the second mile, but then towards the end I pass a couple more people which helps me squeek under 7:00 with a 6:58.
Sub-21:00 is not looking good, getting a mug is not looking good. At the start of the third mile I see an 8:00ish pace on my watch but slowly battle it back down. And even though the third mile has the uphill (cemetary hill - it actually goes past a small cemetary) I get some pace back and third mile ends up at 7:17. Finish chute just up ahead, almost think I see 22 something on the clock but fortuntely I'm wrong.
On the men's side, there's still someone with a few cards left. One guy ahead of me ignores the volunteer and keeps going without getting a card she calls out to him but then she's like "oh well". I get a card then the person behind me gets a card and they say "that's the last one".
Jacob finishes at 24 something I think, after his first mile he's pleased that he didn't walk any of it at least. We go to the mug tent and then I also check online results. I see Tom got 4th place and scroll over to the right and see his time - 15:49 - new PR and finally after being close so many times has broken that wall.
See Jenny with Claudia - they both have mugs. Jenny was not far off her PR from 10 years ago, Claudia was just a little behind me at 21:48.
Jacob and I head back to find Jessica and see her just as she's pushing the stroller up the hill. When we reach the 3 mile marker Jacob gets Charlotte out of the stroller and they run it in. She had fun watching all of the people with silly Thanksgiving hats and all of the doggies.
Step backward for me as far as time goes but still super happy about the fun morning and Tom getting a well earned PR.
Maybe I wasn't fully recovered from Saturday's race.
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