I consider this to be one of the toughest local 5K's around. The course is hard and the weather is always hot. I usually don't pre-reg for this figuring the race cost is donated to a good cause so oh well.
This race used to be on Monday memorial day but it seems like for a while now, it's on Sunday before. This time, it wasn't on my birthday but rather the day before. Still in the 40-44 age group...
I was supposed to run easy with Heidi and Jeff on Saturday but last minute cancellation from Heidi (and therefore Princess Jeff ;) ) due to an ankle issue. I didn't realize it at the time but that meant the they weren't going to be there Sunday either. Adele stepped up tho. Good for her!
So, I went there by my lonesome on Sunday and met Adele and registered. It was getting hot and humid fast. Finally we lined up.
As usual, little kids lined up first. Really? And their father right behind them. Double really? Do you want your kids to get trampled? We got them to move a little.
We finally started and I will give credit to some of these kids. They went out blazing but 2 blocks later and well, they weren't blazing.
This big white guy went out super fast. He also had to slow it down a lot.
There was only 1 black guy during the race and he quickly became the race leader. I was up there but also slowly losing ground.
Constantly assessing my body. All was good. Hurting and legs/lungs burning but other than that, all good.
Got to mile 1 in 6:40ish and was expecting Adam Orlow to pass me. He always does at this point. He wasn't there. Weird. Perhaps this will be the first time I beat him? Suddenly there's a smack on my right buttock and instinctively I shouted "next time there better be dinner with that". Only after I said that, I looked to see who it was. There was Orlow, cackling and dropping me like nothing. Ok... As usual. Well, I never got the butt smack but he always passes me right here.
Onwards. I cross 188th street and there's Tami screaming my name from 2 blocks away. Love Tami.
Into the park and around the big apple circus. We have tickets for tomorrows show. I do see a guy sitting outside his trailer, using his mac while his 2 dogs are there. We get to upper Cunningham and this little kid (I think 12 years old) passes me. Wow. I continue on and eventually get to the finish.
I couldn't find anyone to run the course again with me, so I grab water and head out. It was hot and I was suffering. It was slow going. Very slow going.
I eventually finish and find out that I got 2nd place for my age group. The conversation with Hillel goes like this:
ME: How did I do?
HB: 2nd for age. You want to know who beat you?
ME: Sure.
HB: Orlow.
ME: Bastard. (with a smile)
HB: You want to know the sad thing?
ME: Sure.
HB: If he was a little faster, he could have come in 3rd overall and you
would have gotten 1st for Age.
ME: Bastard. (with a smile)
Anyway, Hillel also tells me that as he led the pack on his bike, first overall male finisher was the black guy and that at mile 2, he told Hillel that he was "toast". As in done. As in wiped. Hillel was telling him that he could break the course record. The course record for this is a lousy 17+ which for a 5K sucks. The guy again said he was done. Well, I think he broke the course record but he didn't break 17. Unrelenting hills and temps and humidity make it so.
Albert's wife, Ilana, got 4th overall again or first for Age. As Albert put it, "First Loser for the 4th year". Can't say I appreciated that comment. She did great and got 1st for age. Leave it that way...
Anyway, that's it.