Race Day: Johnny Kelley 5K

I drove down to Hyannis with Mr. Chesley the gazelle boy for the Johnny Kelley Memorial Race. There was both a 5K and a 10K - I did the 5, he did the 10.

One thing that annoyed me was the traffic. I understand it's Hyannis and the summer and all that, but it's really a pain in the ass when you're trying to run and you've got cars full of frustrated beach goers and such coming up behind you.

This was a slightly hilly course, some along the ocean, through Hyannis. I was hoping for 2 things:

- a time of 45 minutes or less
- to cross the finish line standing

I managed to accomplish both and crossed in 43:44!!!

While Chesley's goal was to cross the finish line before I did (I had a 10 minute headstart - otherwise he might have done it), I was happy to be standing there saying, "You look like shit, let me buy you a water." He said it was a garbage day for him. I understood as there were a couple points on the course where I was wondering if there was a meat wagon or not.

As I mentioned, there was a head wind. Even though the temp was in the 70's, it was that slightly heavy air type humid and the sun decided to try and break through during the race. There was no water before the race, so I had to find a water cooler (I was fortunate and hit it a couple of times). There was plenty after the race, but a bottle or two before hand might have been nice.

So I was running with a slightly dry mouth wondering why did I leave my nalgene bottle in the car?

The other problem - and I'll ask at some of the forums about this - was in the second mile I realized the Body Glide wasn't working as well as it had the first half of the race and my thighs were starting to chafe a bit. My shorts also did something truly unusual: the liner began to creep up my butt a bit - but not so badly that it was a problem... just not something that I normally notice happening when I go out for my runs.

I figured the best approach was to do my 14/1's and I was doing pretty well with it. I finished the first one well past the one miler marker. I had started the second one when they let some traffic through. This meant those of us in the back needed to run on the dieswalk to keep going. Unfortunately the road took a turn and the sidewalk disappeared into an uneven strip of grass - which forced me to walk a little. Once I started walking, it threw off my rhythm. So for the next 1/2-3/4 mile, I did some walk runs until I could push myself to the finish.

I crossed strongly - standing up ... no barrel rolls for this girl today.

Right now I'm bushed. I want to take a little nap since I didn't sleep that well last night.