Race Report: Erie Runner's Club Turkey Trot 5K
On Thanksgiving, I did my third race ever (my second 5K), the Erie Runner's Club Turkey Trot in Erie, PA. I had originally intended to do the 10K, but my training schedule got a bit truncated from starting grad school, so I settled for running the 5K. My goal: sub-40.
I dragged myself out of bed at about 7:00 and was on the road by 7:30 to drive the hour to the race. My sister, who was thinking about coming to watch me, decided to stay in bed, so I made the trip solo. The race took place at Presque Isle, the state park on Lake Erie, which is gorgeous during the summer, but in the fall and winter, can be a little desolate (If you see "The Road," the scenes with dunes or beach were filmed around where I ran, you can get the idea of the run). It was drizzly, grey, and chilly, so everyone was pretty bundled up. There were two guys dressed as turkeys and a family wearing pilgrim hats. I wish I would have had the foresight to come in some sort of costume.
The race announcer said that so many people had registered that they ran out of chips (they had about 2500) and had to start turning people away. I have to say, it was pretty crazy. The start-line was insane; I was about 10 yards away, but it took a full minute to cross. I know my uncle and cousin (who passed me at about .5) bandited, so I wouldn't have been surprized if more than 2600 people were in the race, either running the 5 or 10K or walking the 5K. This would have been fine except that the road was really narrow for an out-and-back. The road was congested the entire race.
I really liked the course. If it hadn't been a gross day, it would have been a glorious run. It took me a while to get my stride, but once I hit it, I felt fine. One thing that drove me nuts was that a few people were pacing me: one woman running alone and a pair of girls running together. I think I handled it better than my first time: I was paced by someone in my first race, and it made me feel really crappy about my running. This time, I just told myself that I shouldn't care about other people, only myself. I did pass the solo woman, but the girls slipped past me at the end.
I didn't go to the post-race party to get my times, since the party was at a different location than the actual race, and I had such a long ride home. When I crossed the finish, the clock read 46:45. Since the 10K started ten minutes before us, I figured my time was about 36:45. They posted the times online later on Thursday, and I apparently ran 35:25, slightly over 5 mins faster than my previous PR! So, it was a nice surprize. :)
Next up, the Reindeer Run 5K in Lakewood, OH next Saturday. I'm hoping not to have been completely destroyed by my last week of classes by then. Here's hoping! :)
x-posted to runners.
I dragged myself out of bed at about 7:00 and was on the road by 7:30 to drive the hour to the race. My sister, who was thinking about coming to watch me, decided to stay in bed, so I made the trip solo. The race took place at Presque Isle, the state park on Lake Erie, which is gorgeous during the summer, but in the fall and winter, can be a little desolate (If you see "The Road," the scenes with dunes or beach were filmed around where I ran, you can get the idea of the run). It was drizzly, grey, and chilly, so everyone was pretty bundled up. There were two guys dressed as turkeys and a family wearing pilgrim hats. I wish I would have had the foresight to come in some sort of costume.
The race announcer said that so many people had registered that they ran out of chips (they had about 2500) and had to start turning people away. I have to say, it was pretty crazy. The start-line was insane; I was about 10 yards away, but it took a full minute to cross. I know my uncle and cousin (who passed me at about .5) bandited, so I wouldn't have been surprized if more than 2600 people were in the race, either running the 5 or 10K or walking the 5K. This would have been fine except that the road was really narrow for an out-and-back. The road was congested the entire race.
I really liked the course. If it hadn't been a gross day, it would have been a glorious run. It took me a while to get my stride, but once I hit it, I felt fine. One thing that drove me nuts was that a few people were pacing me: one woman running alone and a pair of girls running together. I think I handled it better than my first time: I was paced by someone in my first race, and it made me feel really crappy about my running. This time, I just told myself that I shouldn't care about other people, only myself. I did pass the solo woman, but the girls slipped past me at the end.
I didn't go to the post-race party to get my times, since the party was at a different location than the actual race, and I had such a long ride home. When I crossed the finish, the clock read 46:45. Since the 10K started ten minutes before us, I figured my time was about 36:45. They posted the times online later on Thursday, and I apparently ran 35:25, slightly over 5 mins faster than my previous PR! So, it was a nice surprize. :)
Next up, the Reindeer Run 5K in Lakewood, OH next Saturday. I'm hoping not to have been completely destroyed by my last week of classes by then. Here's hoping! :)
x-posted to runners.