The 3rd Annual April Fools 5k... on Friday the 5th of April. I am thinking that the joke is that is was NOT run on April 1st!
After a busy week of work, playing catch up on projects that piled up from taking the previous week off for spring break, the run was a welcome challenge.
With shoes laced up and bib numbers pinned Elizabeth and I headed to Appleton after work. We laughed about the last race we did together. It was the Scheel's Run for Home 2 years ago. In the process of completing that 5k, we experienced rain, sleet, snow and various combinations of the all three. After the first half mile, it was not even worth trying to avoid puddles, It was just easier to run right through and keep going. The freezing temperatures were the whipped cream on top of the hot cocoa that we should have got when we finished. When I reached the finish line, I got my medal (this is one of the few local 5k's that actually gives medals!) and waited for Elizabeth to finish a few minutes behind me. Once we both had our medals, we made a beeline for the car, in search of our extra sweatshirts to warm up. Forget waiting around for the awards ceremony, we just wanted to warm up!
Fast forward to today, mild temperatures in the 40's, the sun is shining and the is no sign of rain or snow for hundreds of miles. Also helps that this race is run in the evening, instead of just after sunrise! We arrived at Players Choice (location of the finish line) and hopped on the bus to head to OSI, where the run was starting. Matt met us with us there - my pacer! Due to some technical difficulties with buses and getting everyone to the starting location, the race ended up starting a little late, nut nothing worth complaining about - it was a gorgeous night for a run (yes a little chilly once you were outside but that would be short lived once we started moving!
After mile 1, I was feeling good. Pace was at an acceptable 11:something minute minute mile. Off to a good start! Mile 2 was just a good, I was still feeling pretty good. Shortly after we passed that 2 mile marker, Matt told me that we were at 21 minutes (and some odd seconds)! That was a 10:something mile! WooHoo!! Shortly after 2 miles, I felt the wall coming, but was determined to run through it. I could see the building off in the distance that represented the finish line. I was not stopping to walk, I wanted to finish it the way that I started. When I came around the last corner and could see the timer at the finish line, I was shocked to see it was only at 34 minutes... Did I really just finish this in less that 36 minutes? Unbelievable!
Once across the finish line and catching my breath, Matt informed me that we just pulled a time of approximately 33:11!!! I think this pulls out as one of the best (If not the best) 5k time that I have ever done!
What's next? Scheel's Run for Home in 1 month! Let's just hope that the weather is better than 2 years ago when I ran it! Not sure which is worse - running in sleet, slush and freezing rain or sweltering heat (which was the Packers Training Camp 5k 2 years ago) Thoughts? What is the worst conditions you have run in during an organized race? I think I have run through it all... not sure which is worse!
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