What happened here?

Well, it has been nearly a week, so I guess it is about time to update my blog about the DRC 5K.

We decided to run the 5K instead of the 10K because we knew we had the Cowtown 1/2 coming up soon. Also, Cotton has class on Saturday and needed to get to school to study ahead of time.

Cotton came over about 6:00 A.M. and we headed on out to the lake. We got there early enought to get a pretty decent parking spot, and walked on up to the clubhouse. I wasn't feeling real well, was having some minor stomach issues, and had already told Rick I wasn't so sure I was going to make my goal of a sub 30 minute 5K. I've been trying to get back down there for nearly 2 years now and it is very frustrating!

We picked up our bibs and stood in the warm clubhouse for a bit, then went back to the car so Cotton could warm up. Rick went ahead and warmed up too, but I just sat in the car and rested until it was time to go on down the hill for the start. We took off the warm-up gear and walked to the start line. As I stood there shivering we got to say Hello to Mary Chupps, Cotton's 1st grade teacher. She was excited that Cotton was there and said she was hoping to get to see him after the race, but that she was just walking this one. She is recovering from a knee injury now.

After all the "cerimonial" stuff, the gun went off and we started. I hit the start on my Garmin as I went over the start line and I was off. The first mile felt amazingly good. It was only about 48 degrees outside, and I guess the cold must agree with me because I ran this mile at a 9:11 pace! That is 27:95 faster than my normal pace! I don't think I've ever run the first mile of ANY race at a 9:11 pace! I was feeling good at the mile marker, so I just kept pushing it. I knew if I could run the first two miles in under 10 minute miles I had a pretty good chance to meet my goal of under 30 minutes for the entire race...so I just kept pushing. Mile 2 was only slightly slower at 9:37. This put the first two mile time at 18:49. I was astonished. I still felt pretty good so I just kept going. I did really well until about 2.25 miles...then I felt myself slowing down a bit. I tried to talk myself through it and kept pushing every time I looked down and saw that my time was slipping. I did the mile in 9:49 for a 28:38 time for the 3 miles. I only had .1 mile to go...and over a minute to do it in.... When I look at the Garmin time for the entire 3.1 miles that a 5K is supposed to be it shows me finishing at 29:32 - I KNOW when I crossed the finish line, as I was hitting the stop timer button it read 29:59...so I KNOW I "unofficially" ran it in under 30 minutes...my goal. The DRC races are not chip timed however, and my official time was 30:08.

Cotton and Rick were right there at the finish line cheering me on. As I got close I tried to kick it out and I passed the girl ahead of me, but I started my kick too soon and couldn't keep up the pace, so she passed me back and finished just ahead of me.

We went on up to the clubhouse to get a banana and wait for the results. When the preliminary results were posted Cotton and I went over to check out how we did. My jaw dropped to the floor when I saw that I finished FIRST in my age group!!!! I walked back over to Rick and told them, and Cotton told me he had finished third in is his! We would both get medals.

We waited and waited for the results to become official. Finally 1 and 1/2 hours after the finish fo the race they gave out the awards. Cotton picked up his 3rd place medal and I picked up my 1st place medal. It was a GREAT day for the Boales family. Cotton had a PR with a time of 20:15:93...he is about to break the 20 minute mark - he had a pace of 6:31 minute miles. Rick had a PR of 27:46 and 8:47 minute miles. He finished 7th in his age group. I didn't PR, but I did finish first with a time of 30:08:39. HOWEVER; Sunday when we were checking the official results, Rick's time had changed, and I was now listed in SECOND place!

Hmmmmmm I have the first place medal - I was first for an hour and a half - how DID this happen. Here is my theory; The number for the girl who is now listed in first place is 1199...this matches all the numbers for the 15K race. I believe she signed up for the 15K, changed her mind and ran the 5K....this, according to what was published earlier should have disqualified her from any medal....however, I did contact the club and I am returning the medal I got, and they are sending me a second place. I'm still happy with my time, and the 9:41 overall pace I ran. It is the fastest in a long, long time...she only beat me by 15 seconds...I'll just have to get her next time! LOL!!!