New Medal!

I got it! My award for 4th place in the Azalea Trail this March finally came in. It is so nice. Thought it wasn't my best time, my "place" was the best I'd done at this huge race. So excited and wanted to share it with you, my friends.

The Twilight Zone 5k

I've thought and thought how in the world I was going to write about this 5k. And, to be honest with you, I'm still not sure. Very little was done like a race is to be done. It should have been free and just for fun and not considered a race at all.

First off, the course was off: it was 3.16 miles. That adds up, for those that may not know. Starting up front, I had very few I had to get around and the street was wide so there was no problem there. I took every tangent and I know my Garmin was right cause even Kent got the same distance.

Second, the race started with both races at the same time: 5k and the 1 Mile Fun Run. Guess where the kids got?? Yep! Luckily, we thought through this before it started and began alongside of them allowing them half the road for about a quarter mile. But like I said, the street was wide and this wasn't an issue after you got "out of the gate". Both races ran the same course with the Fun Run returning to the start at the first turn-around early in the race.

The course was a good one but should have been shorter. It went to the center of The Wharf Mall turning right going out to the main road, turn around, come back to the middle of the mall and take a right. As you exited the shopping area, you crossed over a small bridge, then another and another and another to the main road again, turn around and head straight back to the starting line crossing the four wooden bridges. Everything is mannicured and you pass the waterpark area and the outdoor arena where they have well known bands perform. It's clean and fresh. Really nice.

From the very beginning I knew this was going to be a good run because of a lady that's in my age group that races in the area. We've competed several times before. I've been ahead of her every time except for the last one and I was struggling with my knee in that race. She's improving and it is making me push my body a little harder. I like it!! She was my shadow the whole race. No, literally. I saw her shadow just behind me except for only a couple of times when I could tell she had dropped away. At the end, I maintained my pace and she dropped back with 3-4 people passing her. Thanks, Mo, for making me run harder.

Thirdly, it came time for the winners presentation. It is here where I've never seen such a mess. I'm trying not to be too hard or critical but, honestly, it was the worst we've ever seen! I'm just going to mention a FEW things. They began with the announcements: Overall winners were announced, Masters winners were announced, then they called out the Grand Masters. The Female was the same as the Masters! I felt like I had won the GM but not sure. But one thing I've learned in racing is that no one receives TWO of the main awards! We couldn't believe that the company that was compiling the results didn't catch this. They do a lot of the races in the area so they know how it is suppose to be. Right after this, Kent's name was called for the Overall Male Racewalker! So now, he's going to check on the GM award.

Well, they begin to do the age group awards and, get this, they gave those that received overall awards First Place in their age groups. Well, duh!! Yeah, they won. But this knocked out those that would have received third place. In other words, there were only two awards for four age groups. While everyone received double awards, the one that was suppose to get the Masters AND Grand Masters awards wasn't even called for her age group. So, do you or do you not get two awards! Hmmmm. She had left so she wasn't even there to deal with this situation. The lady told Kent that she would check on this and thought it wasn't right either. Well, my name was called and I received first place in my a/g. Of course, being older and toward the end of the presentation, I know that the awards are about over. I saw the red haired lady (RHL) with the computer so I went to her to see if they had it straight yet cause I didn't want the lady that would have won third place to leave without getting it.

Well, here comes "another" issue...now the RHL is telling me that someone else came ahead of me...ALTHOUGH...her name wasn't called out NOR had it been listed on the results printout. I was puzzled. She goes on...and says that they can't figure out what happened to her. What??? Did she cross the line or not?? Said that they think that she must have changed her mind and run the Fun Run. Have you ever heard of such?? Because they couldn't "find" her, they decided (in my presence) to disqualify her because they think she didn't run at all. Well, did she cross the line and where was her name on the results list?? So because of their craziness, they decided to DQ her and "give" me the award. I don't want that!! I ran hard...I earned it, IF I won it. I don't WANT an award. I earn it and no other way do I want it. Running is not a "feel sorry" sport. And, it's simple. You have a clock and you either cross the line being clocked or you don't. I think I'm in the Twilight Zone!!!! This is so bazaar...

Another thing: did you know that you could win an award if you ran a 5k AND be entered in a Fun Run AT THE SAME TIME??? Poor kids!! Many didn't get awards because some got two awards in two different races at the same time. Either they are FAST 5k runners to win in the Fun Run or something. Another confirmation that we have entered the TZ! Where's the music? I'm getting dizzy...

Everything was totally weird. They checked the stats again and saw that I should have the GM Award. Most of all, I felt so bad for all those people who did NOT receive their Third Place Award, which they deserved, as well as the others that would have been bumped up a place. I came in 37th out of 182 runners. But, I'm really wondering if they even know how many they had. Were some double listed? I mean come on. Their final Award Results showed that everyone received one award and there were third place winners that they never announced.

This was waaaay too much to deal with for a simple race with few runners. Not worth it. So, I say, "ta-ta" and someone else can do this next year. Oh, btw, there were only three of us from Mississippi. We all three won awards. As a matter of fact, the lady that one the Masters Award is from Meridian.

Adjusting the time/distance to be accurate, Kent's time would have been a solid minute better! Mine would have been about 25 seconds better. Here we are with are awards. My award was "presented" to me in private so Kent took my pic outside the camper.



Here are a few pics of the cutest little girl that got in the middle of the presentation area right by herself to dance to the Stanky Leg song, which she requested. And that hat fit her personality perfectly!! Just adorable. She was about 6 years old. After she "performed" the awards presentation began.






Until next time...keep on running. YOU are your competitor!

Logs: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

I'm so glad that I log my runs. Logically said, a daily run does not last long and by the time the afternoons come around you're ready to run again cause it seems so long ago since you've run that morning. And, recalling what you did a few days ago seems weeks ago. I am easily down when I don't have a good run for a couple of days, even having to rest unexpectedly because of prior injuries that should have disappeared months ago! But when I look over the running log posted here I can't understand why I am so hard on myself. I've been trying to maintain a 20-mile average for the week. Last week I did very well. Ended the week with a great 7.5 mile run with a w/u and c/d of a total of 1.5 miles making 9 miles for the day. I felt great.

I've also been doing mix runs. I do not like walking and have been making myself learn to do it more. Last week a couple of my runs included 400m walk, then 400m run, and repeating this 2-3 times. It seems to give my legs a little rest to be able to run harder in the intervals as I race that part. I really liked the results I've been getting. I ended the week with 24.22 miles. The most I've done in a while. Also, got in a couple of good overall workouts, too.

I'm constantly worrying with a couple of nagging, gnawing issues that seem to go away for a couple of weeks then, all of a sudden, they pop up again. Just when I think I have these areas healed, it reassures me that it's still there causing me to take extra rest days of which I do NOT like at all!! That's what happened this week. But with extra days of rest, I was able to run a 5k last weekend 11 seconds better than last year's race, leaving with an award. I'll be posting about this race as soon as I have all the information I need to finish it. It was wild!

The sad part about the way I feel I know I have control over...namely, my eating habits. They have gotten so out of control and not only do I "feel" bad inside, I know it affects the way I run, too. I've got to get the "want to" back. If someone knows where I left it, would you please send it back to me?? I really appreciate it. For now, I've got to make myself get refocused on eating better and continue running with some weights and core workouts-regularly!

Fiesta of Five Flags

Though I'm not there yet, I think I'm gradually getting there. I'm soooo impatient which causes setbacks off and on with my running. But I ran fairly easy all week and took my usual rest on Friday in order to participate in the Fiesta of Five Flags race in Pensacola on Saturday. We decided to run the 5k this year instead of the 10k.

We had to get up around 4:00 in order to get dressed and drive to Pensacola. Actually, having to catch the bus prompted us to leave earlier as they stopped running them by a certain time in order to assure everyone getting to the starting line to run on time. There were close to 700 runners that needed transporting to both lines. We timed it perfectly. I got butterflies for some reason. When I think I've conquered them, they fly back in. But these are good because it helps me to be on my toes and run "through" them. They're usually gone when I begin running.

I bumped into a friend of ours when I picked up our packets. He was about to get on the bus heading up to the 10k start. Mark K. looked great, rested and ready to run his usual fast race. Another friend, Leonard V., had had an accident in a race in New Orleans last weekend while on his bike. As a result he broke his collarbone in three places and broke several ribs. He had surgery and everything seems to be going well. Mark brought me up to speed on his progress. We really hate this happened to him. They run together every day and I know Mark is hating this as well. We're praying for you, Leonard, that you will recuperate quickly!

As many little stupid things popping up here and there lately, I am excited to report that not a single one of them nor anything new came up before, during OR after the race! I felt great running. There are a couple of little hills about midways in this course that are a little challenging. The first one is across the highway and the grade is "kinda" long. I was really dreading this. It's not so bad except that it's not something you can hold your breath and get over quickly. Every year I've run this race, this part seems to get me and it has a kind of "hold" on me. The 10k race eventually catches up to the 5k start and runs the 5k course to the finish. I add this because all runners run this part of the course. I did a lot of talking to myself and when I approached this area I assured myself that it wasn't as bad as I remembered. So I straightened up, turned my iPod up and accepted that it might be a "little" tough but nothing I couldn't handle. I made it MUCH easier than I ever have. Then shortly after this hill, another one is around the corner. It's not long at all but steep nevertheless. It always has me struggling. It continues to live up to its name BUT...again...I took it in stride, shook it off and ran as hard as I could. Having run this course before, I knew the easiest was ahead. The last almost mile is basically downhill and flat. You can really make up some time here and it's at the end! As my Garmin showed me afterward, this little stretch did slow me down some but not as much as it could have. I was excited to know that I had laughed in the face of this challenge and kept going.

When it was all said and done I ended with a good time. I'd gained weight recently and knew it would play a part in my running speed but this year I actually shaved off 21 seconds from last year. If only I had the weight I did last year. I may have ended with a 5k PR. Oh, well. That's a goal for next year.

Kent's racewalking is really improving! I can't tell you how hard it is to racewalk. It is NOT walking. There are a lot of rules going on with this where when you run, you just run. This group started 2 minutes after the 5k runners left out. There were some fierce racewalkers out there this time. There were 67 of them; all in the 5k. When the first one crossed the line I was shocked to see 33:05! That's fast!! I was so excited to see Kent coming in. He looked good and strong. He finished his best RW so far.


To win an award was actually not in my thinking. I just ran as best as I could. With that in mind, I wondered how far down in my age group I fell. So I went to the trailer to check the results. Going down the list, I see my name. I was 4th in my age group. That was okay because I ran my best and I accepted that. Then I got to looking to see how far away the 3rd place runner was and there wasn't one. There wasn't even a 1st place runner. What's going on??? How could I be 4th and there be no 1st, 2nd, or 3rd? Looking at my name again I noticed something VERY important...I was listed as a male!! Lord, this happened to me last year! For some weird reason, they look at my name and classify me as a male without even looking at my registration form. This makes me so nervous because they don't seem to be in a hurry and I'm anxious to KNOW...did I make GrandMasters, 1st place...what?? What if they don't get the change in time and they present the GM award to someone else?? Here come those butterflies again! I went up to the guy with the clipboard to be sure that the correction was going to be made in time for the awards as they had announced the presentation was to begin in 2 minutes. I explained why I was asking so as not to annoy him but he was gracious and understood and told me that everything has been taken care of. Now my next issue was: what if someone else had an error in my age group and I wasn't going to place at all...again. I'm getting excited about noooottthhiiiing!

Well, as you can see, I was quite antsy. Then the awards began with the overall winners. My friend, Mark K., that I mentioned earlier is a super fast runner. He came in second overall in the 10k shortly behind the first place runner. It was a close race. His name was called out for the Masters Award. We were excited for him. Then they got to the Grand Masters awards and I heard my name called out; I was soooo excited!! Kent, also, got 1st place in his age group. Having so many competitors than any other race he'd done, this was quite an accomplishment, too. We all three came away winners. It was a great day!!

Overall Winners: Masters & Grand Masters. Hey, who looks better? Really...

Winning couple!

Our awards

A close-up of the Grand Masters Award. All results can be found at the Pensacola Runners website.

Thanks for enduring this long post. You're all my friends and I'm thankful for each and every one of you. Your comments to us when you've read my blog means a lot to us. We love you! And, don't forget to set YOUR goals and Run 4 it!