Ran the 10th anniversary Haddonfield Adrenaline 5k this morning. Not sure how many times I've run it, but here are the race recaps since I started this blog:
2011
2012
2014
I didn't run it in 2013 because Stevie and I went to New York City that weekend.
This is one of the premiere 5k's in the state of New Jersey and typically sells out its 1,000 runner field well in advance of race day. It starts and finishes at my alma mater and spends a good portion of the race on the town's main strip. With few turns and a mostly flat course, so much talent shows up that you pretty much have to be an Olympian just to crack the top 100.
Check out the promotional video they made for this year's race:
There was concern about whether the race would even go on given yesterday's snow, but race officials assured everyone last night it was still a go. Sidewalks were still covered with slush this morning, but the main roads were clear, if still wet. I've been training in this stuff all season so it was of little concern to me.
I brought Neale to the race with me and handed him off to my dad at the high school before placing myself in the crowd at the starting line. I was feeling good. I'd gotten a decent amount of sleep, ate well last night, hydrated properly this morning and was wearing just the right amount of clothes.
As soon as the race started, however, I immediately felt fatigued. Of course I've been training for a marathon, not a 5k, and my legs have a lot more miles on them as a result. The 10 I did yesterday in the snow probably didn't help either. I thought I was slowing down a bit but couldn't tell because I wasn't wearing my Garmin. The clock at the first mile marker wasn't working, either.
I found a little left once I passed the 2 mile marker and tried to pick up the pace again. Once I hit the main street again, it was just a mad dash to the finish trying to pick off as many runners as I could. I was happy to see the clock still at 19 as I approached the finish line. My official time was 19:28, good enough to beat 2011 me, but not quite enough for 2012 me.
The finish line was pretty much a pile up of people from my Wednesday night running/beer club (a who's who of Who's Up regulars, if you will). We joked that if the team competition was simply to finish as close together as possible, we would have won hands down. We all finished in the 19:30 - 20:30 range. But not good enough to take the team title.
I found my dad and Neale and introduced them to some of my running friends, then took a picture with Neale in front of the South Jersey Athletic Club tent:
It was the first race of mine that Neale ever attended, and I hope the first of many. I hope that someday we can run races together, and he'll eventually fulfill his legacy of taking down my own PR's, just like I took down my own dad's over the years.
Today's 3.1 miles also put me at exactly 600.1 miles for the year, so when I got home I took another picture to commemorate the moment.
And every year, the owner gives out wrist bands at the store after the race. The wrist bands are good for an open bar at The Irish Mile down the road from the race. He picks up the tab for every runner who shows up as a way of celebrating the store's anniversary and just to say thank you to his customers.
You had me at open bar. See ya at the Mile...
2011
2012
2014
I didn't run it in 2013 because Stevie and I went to New York City that weekend.
This is one of the premiere 5k's in the state of New Jersey and typically sells out its 1,000 runner field well in advance of race day. It starts and finishes at my alma mater and spends a good portion of the race on the town's main strip. With few turns and a mostly flat course, so much talent shows up that you pretty much have to be an Olympian just to crack the top 100.
Check out the promotional video they made for this year's race:
There was concern about whether the race would even go on given yesterday's snow, but race officials assured everyone last night it was still a go. Sidewalks were still covered with slush this morning, but the main roads were clear, if still wet. I've been training in this stuff all season so it was of little concern to me.
I brought Neale to the race with me and handed him off to my dad at the high school before placing myself in the crowd at the starting line. I was feeling good. I'd gotten a decent amount of sleep, ate well last night, hydrated properly this morning and was wearing just the right amount of clothes.
As soon as the race started, however, I immediately felt fatigued. Of course I've been training for a marathon, not a 5k, and my legs have a lot more miles on them as a result. The 10 I did yesterday in the snow probably didn't help either. I thought I was slowing down a bit but couldn't tell because I wasn't wearing my Garmin. The clock at the first mile marker wasn't working, either.
I found a little left once I passed the 2 mile marker and tried to pick up the pace again. Once I hit the main street again, it was just a mad dash to the finish trying to pick off as many runners as I could. I was happy to see the clock still at 19 as I approached the finish line. My official time was 19:28, good enough to beat 2011 me, but not quite enough for 2012 me.
The finish line was pretty much a pile up of people from my Wednesday night running/beer club (a who's who of Who's Up regulars, if you will). We joked that if the team competition was simply to finish as close together as possible, we would have won hands down. We all finished in the 19:30 - 20:30 range. But not good enough to take the team title.
I found my dad and Neale and introduced them to some of my running friends, then took a picture with Neale in front of the South Jersey Athletic Club tent:
It was the first race of mine that Neale ever attended, and I hope the first of many. I hope that someday we can run races together, and he'll eventually fulfill his legacy of taking down my own PR's, just like I took down my own dad's over the years.
Today's 3.1 miles also put me at exactly 600.1 miles for the year, so when I got home I took another picture to commemorate the moment.
And every year, the owner gives out wrist bands at the store after the race. The wrist bands are good for an open bar at The Irish Mile down the road from the race. He picks up the tab for every runner who shows up as a way of celebrating the store's anniversary and just to say thank you to his customers.
You had me at open bar. See ya at the Mile...
A couple of people swore to me that the mile clock was working (it was not working when I went by either). Weird! I can't believe you did ten in that snowstorm! I did 3 and it sucked the life out of me. Great race!
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