Baby's First 5K

I know all (three) of you have been waiting breathlessly to hear about the 5K. So, let me explain...no, let me sum up - it was totally awesome.

Okay, first of all, check out all the free stuff I got in the pre-race package:

Yeah, that's right, I got free socks! No one else I have consulted with who have previously run marathons (Tafee and Will) have EVER gotten free socks! Plus my free shirt is all green and shamrocky, plus it's TECHNICAL and MOISTURE WICKING. And little sample packets of icy-hot and sunscreen. Plus some coupons for area merchants. But mostly, FREE SOCKS.

The morning of the race dawned, no, wait, we were totally up pre-freaking-dawn because they plan these races for un-Godly hours. So the race day pre-dawned cold and raining. It was somewhere between 40 degrees and 45. And did I mention it was raining? So we both dressed in layers.

Look, I'm all ready to go!

So we eat our piece of bread with peanut butter (it's Tafee's pre-race ritual) and walk down to the center of Atlantic Station, where everyone is meeting in the underground parking garage because of the rain. The rain! There were all sorts of fellow crazy people jogging around, warming up, stretching. Plus kids and parents with strollers and dogs and men in kilts, which is really how all 5Ks should be, in my opinion. Plus tables full of bananas and bagels for when we were done! And an Irish band setting up. And then it was time to start.

The run itself was, well, cold and wet and had a distinct lack of running on my part. I mean, yeah, I broke out into a jog here and there, but there was a kid that completely out paced me. My outer pair of pants (I was wearing two) were cotton and too long for me and got completely soaked at the bottom, so much so that one leg ended up completely engulfing my shoe. So about half way through, when I was warmer and the rain had lessened up a bit, I pulled over to the side to strip my pants off, getting a joking admonishment from the nearby traffic cop. Yes, I stripped in the middle of my first 5K. That's how I roll.

I have to give a big ol' thanks to the water station people, who not only gave us water, but constant encouragement, and there was a group of people with cowbells cheering us on! 'Cause we all got a fever for some more cowbell in our lives!

I ended up finishing 416 out of 494, with a total time of 45:02 and a pace time of 14:32, which was exactly where I wanted to be, so I was happy. And not only did I get my free banana afterwards, but:
That's right! A free Waffle House water bottle! Damn, free socks AND a Waffle House water bottle?! Best. 5K. Ever.

And here is the obligatory action shot (pre-pants stripping)
We're looking to run another 5K in St. Louis in April!