It was a tiny race, with only 8 runners in the 10K. There were many other runners, including some fast ones, but they all favored the 5K race. I wanted to run the 10K; that distance suits me better and 10K races are hard to find.
There were several of us bunched together for the first 10 minutes but then at the 5K turnaround spot, everyone else turned around. I was seemingly all alone. It was a good thing the course was marked well because I had no idea where I was going and could have easily ended up in Oklahoma. I can hear the police call now, "...be on the lookout for a dork with a numbered bib on his shirt, running in circles...".
I managed to stay on course, and after the 10K turnaround I saw there were indeed some others behind me. I finished about 5 minutes ahead of the second place fellow. I finished with a time of 42:24, and that is a bit disappointing. Even with hills, heat, and a dirt road, I was hoping for faster. I always say that.
A couple of weeks ago I ran the Miles for Miller 5K and won my age group with a time of 19:56. That too was slower than I hoped. My training this summer suggests I am in better shape than ever, but I just don't have race results to prove it yet. I am sure looking forward to some cooler weather.
As the overall winner today, I received a $25 cash prize. Woohoo! Am I a professional athlete now?
