Guess which idiot blogger with a penchant for (unnecessary) parentheses and the Caps Lock key just won his age group at a local 5k this weekend? (((THIS GUY!!)))
That’s right folks, I am the proud new owner of a 1st Place medal in the Male 30 - 39 division. Moreover, Candis is the proud new owner of a 3rd Place medal in the Overall Female category. Yes, it was a small race, why do you ask?
Now that I’ve ruined the ending of this story, let me back up and start at the beginning. Late last week we discovered that Horizon High School was hosting the Hawk Hustle 5k to benefit their athletics department and we decided to support them and signed up at the last minute. One of the main selling points of this race was the fact that the high school is located no more than a quarter mile from our house and the race was being run on the paths that Candis and I run on regularly. With the race being so close we were able to sleep in until 8 o’clock on Saturday morning. I think that’s the latest I’ve ever been able to get up on a race morning. Candis went over to the school and brought back our bibs while I brewed us some coffee and took care of my other morning business.
As the Chik-fil-A cow fumbled with the starter’s pistol everyone seemed to shy away from being at the front of the starting crowd so I stepped up and toed the line. The cow finally figured out a way to fire the pistol without breaking character and we were off. I was feeling good and actually ran with the lead pack for about a half a mile, then I looked at my Garmin and noticed that we were at a 6:50 pace and I had to slow down. I ended up finishing 12th out of 103 people and of course, 1st in my age group. And before you ask, no I wasn’t the only person in my age group, there were 8 other guys racing in the 30 - 39 division. Candis finished about a minute and a half behind me as the 3rd overall woman and was 2nd in her age group.
My time was 26:03 which is a lot slower than I would have liked even taking into account that the course was actually 3.25 miles. Normally I’d be disappointed with a time like that since it seems to confirm that I’ve hit a plateau if not a downward trend, but I’m still beaming from finally winning an age group award. It was all that I hoped it would be! What can I say, sometimes the triumphs come when you least expect them.
Nicely done! Now you can moooove (get it? Chick Fil A?) on to the Qdoba Burrito Run here in Omaha. Maybe our XC team will pay for your flight and hotel.
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ReplyDeleteTHATS so so so AWESOME! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteMegga congrats to Candis!! whoot, whoot. oh, and to you. glad that you finished your 'other morning business' before you left the house. unfinished business can be a show stopper.
ReplyDeleteWhat's this "other morning business" you had to tend to?
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you guys!
I totally feel ya. I ran 26:05 and won my AG on Sunday. It was...(AWESOME!!)!!
ReplyDeleteDid you get a plaque? A ribbon? A cookie? We demand photographic evidence!
ReplyDeleteAwesome job on the 5K. I once won my age group (men's 20-29) and didn't know it until they announced the winner. I had signed up for a 10K, but really blew off the training and was no way near prepared. My time was around an hour, so I figured I wasn't even close to placing. Turns out, There were only a handful of guys in my category. I wish it'd happen again!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being surrounded by mediocrity.
ReplyDeleteI assume you wore the medal to work yesterday.
ReplyDeleteNice work though!
A win is a win, but we need more proof than this. Cheers! (maybe)
ReplyDeleteNice work. Winning your AG is bragging rights for at least a week.
ReplyDeleteKick ass!
ReplyDeleteI am working on the, "just keep running until you're in your 80s and the only one left alive in your age group" strategy to win my first award.
Revel in those wins, you two - super cool.
Congrats to both of you!
ReplyDeleteAnd what is with the long races? My last 5K was 3.35 miles!
Greattttt job!!!! It doesn't matter waht size race it was, you still won :D
ReplyDeleteSweet... congrats on the hardware... I'm just hoping to take something home one day that's not just a "finishers" medal
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had known about this race! I'm super close and would've entered too!
Congratulations and well done!
ReplyDeleteOne day I too will be the winner in my age group... the plan does involve bumping off every other contender in my age group, but hey, it's a plan.
I'm stuck pondering the cryptic phrase "my other morning business"...which euphemism should be applied here?
ReplyDeletegrats on the win, was there 30-39 year old smack talk that followed?
congrats on the win!
ReplyDeleteThat's terrific - congratulations!
ReplyDeleteLaura
Hey, no one faster showed up in that age bracket that day. They could have but didn't. You did...you win! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteWow...26:03...is that a good time for a 30+ year old man?
ReplyDeleteI'm just asking cause the last 5k race I was in that was relatively flat the over all winner was a girl who ran it in 17:45...or was it 17:54...not sure...anyway, just wondering.