Alley Pond 5 Mile Challenge!

04/19/2012:

Wasn't sure I was going to do this race again. Why? Did it so many times, maybe it's time to retire it. Still, this is home. This is where I run. This is where I train. This is where I meet my people. It's ground zero, homebase. How can I not run it? This year, I will also wear the green singlet.

70 % chance of rain for this race. SUCKS!

04/26/2012:

My 8^th Alley Pond 5 Miler in a row. Whew...Who would have believed it? Not me...

Weather was scheduled to suck. Rain, wind and more rain and wind. I don't like running in the rain. The only way I will run in the rain is eiter it started after I started (suck it up buttercup) or if it's a race. Woke up in the morning to walk LC and it was beautiful. Blue skies, no wind, no rain. Hm?

Later went out again with him and clouds rolled in. No more blue in the sky. Windy and chilly. I was going to wear just shorts and a singlet but no way. Shorts, long sleeve shirt and for the first time ever...My AP singlet. Should have also taken light gloves but didn't.

We asked Jessie if she wants to do the fun run and she said no so my mother came over to watch her as the 3 of us went to AP. Registered and got stuff squared away. Adele was there. After 5 weeks of no running due to stress fracture in foot and this was gonna be interesting. Lee was also worried about her knee. Hurt it last year. Jeremy no visible worries tho tense. Gail showed up and went to warm up. Hung out in the club house till the last minute. Chilly outside.

Race started and it was what it was. A trail of people trading positions. Nothing new to report. Asked a guy who was running next to me why he is next to me. Told him he belonged ahead of me. I know him. Later he thanked me for the wake up call. Not too many Renegades. Weird. They had Arthur (Dreds), Dana and Phil(?). Rasta was there doing the 7. Where were Francois, Vince and Len?

Ran past Dana and Phil. Later they caught up and we ran together out of the park. Once we turned off 73rd Ave, Dana was hurting and she dropped. I yelled NO to her and she tried. Phil told her what to do and joined me. We talked a little as we ran. Back into the park. Up the hill. Good to have him there tho I told him to leave when he is ready. He did.

Did my thing and headed to the finish. Went back to see Gail finishing not to far behind. Went together and saw Lee. Gail peeled off to run Lee in and I went looking for Jeremy. He was run/walking as planned. Didn't look bad. The day before had trouble running the 1.5 from home to AP. Lee didn't want him to suffer during the race. What was weird was it seemed like he was running up the hills and walking the flats/downhill tho he later said he ran when he could and walked when he couldn't. Finished strong.

Went back for Adele. She looked fine. Ran her usual pace of 13 minutes. Weird...As if nothing changed.

Stayed to get awards. For the first time ever for me here at this race, I got 1st for age. I have gotten 2nd and 3rd and let's face it, I knew it wasn't my best time ever but I guess due to weather and poor attendance, I got 1st. Not complaining. Jeremy got 2nd for age and improved from last year. Lee got 9th for age but her knee didn't hurt so she was happy.

Later that day, I was exhausted. I wasn't injured or hurting or anything, just tired. I guess I am not used to running that pace. I usually run slower. Lee's legs and back were hurting (muscular) and Jeremy was also tired.

Overall a good day.