........or how I spent my summer vacation.
Mexico Beach, FL, "Sandy Shoes" 5K (this one was hilarious) Sat, May
26
Well, went to the beach for an annual family reunion and five family
members signed up to run the fourth running of the Mexico Beach "Sandy
Shoes" 5K. This is a small race usually only draws about 50-60, only
awards overall top three and grand masters, male and female. But it
is flat, and with a 7:30 AM start is cool. The course changed this
year and there were at least 16 turns running through a shady
residential neighborhood a couple of blocks off the beach.
They handed out maps, however with so many turns they claimed to have
clearly marked the course and there was to be a guy on a four wheeler
leading the race. so we take off and going into about 1.25 milepoint
I'm running fourth, and I look over my shoulder and don't see anyone
behind me Youngest son(defending champ) is running first, oldest son
is running third and number two, who we don't know, looks like he may
fade trying to keep up with youngest son. I know I can't catch my two
sons but am excited by the prospect of possibly getting the other guy
and actually getting an overall place, and having a family sweep.
About that time old guy on the four wheeler does an abrupt 180 turn
and starts pointing in the direction we've come from. As he goes past
me he yells were off the course and have to go back. I turn, but
youngest son doesn't notice and keeps running. We go back to the
last turn intersection and guy on the four wheeler stops, grabs his
map and starts reading it. I notice a few blocks away the rest of the
race going in an opposite direction.
I thow in the towel in disgust and walk back to the start/finish
(short walk, couple of blocks) and complain about the screwed up race
and the fact that the same guy on the four wheeler did this two years
ago, (cost youngest son the race, he went half mile out of the way and
lost by 20 seconds).
Yougest son continues to run, making up the course as he goes, and
finishes by not going through the finish chute since he had only run
14 minutes and knew he couldn't have run the course. Oldest son quit
when I did. Were hanging around the finish and notice people out a
block away running past trying to read their maps as they run.
Runners start coming into the finish chute FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS.
some finsihed north to south, others south to north. Were observing
the gate keepers saying what should we do and one guy said "aw just
record their times, we'll sort it out later".
Well it was hilarious, race director offered money back to anyone who
wanted it. They gave out no place awards, (couldn't determine who to
give them to) only the oldest and yougest participant (I missed the
oldest by eleven days) I thought the entertainment value and the
T-shirt was worth the price of admission.
Elvis Presely Festival "Running with the King" 5K, Tupelo, MS, Sat.
June 2.
This is a good race, usually draws about 180, not sure this year,
results still not posted, no money, but three places, M and GM, and
full, five year, age groups. Flat for about the first 2 miles then
some gentle hills with a severe hill in the last half mile. Hot,
humid, Mississippi in June, with an 8:30 AM start, what can I say. No
course record, winning time was in the high sixteens. I set a PR of
22:07 and achieved my 2007 goal of breaking 22:30 for a 5K. My
previous best 5K was 23:02. Finished 22nd overall and first in 60-64.
Plenty of post race entertainment, Elvis impersonator (pretty good
one) singing for the crowd as we wait for the results to be posted.
So now have to set a new5K goal......
Frank