Another year, and another Haddon Township Turkey Trot in the books. I love this race because it's in the town where I teach, so I get to race a lot of my students. A lot of people from Who's Up run it too, so there are always a lot of familiar and friendly faces. The race course is almost pancake flat, and the post-race donuts and breakfast sandwiches are included in the race fee. What's not to love?
Some race reports from previous years:
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
This was technically my second race since Broad Street last May, but I was sick during my last race and didn't run very hard. So it had been awhile since I'd really pushed myself in a race.
I seriously didn't know if I would break twenty minutes, which is usually my benchmark time for the 5k. I know I say that a lot, and I always manage to come in under, but all the signs pointed to me straying north of this benchmark in this race: not having raced in so long, not having trained at all for the 5k distance, and probably having gained some weight since last spring when I was in decent shape for Boston.
I got to the Pour House at 7:30am, early enough to snag a good parking spot. Met my dad shortly afterwards and then hung out for the next hour and a half talking to my dad, saying hi to students and friends, and doing a brief warm up run.
At 9am, a thousand South Jersey runners walked two blocks down the street from the Pour House to the starting line. At the start, we charged back down Haddon Avenue, made a left onto Cuthbert, and another quick left onto Park.
At mile two, I caught up with one of my students. I joked that if he couldn't beat me, then he was in trouble. He hung with me for awhile, and we both began to reel in another one of my students.
When we made the final left turn back onto Haddon Avenue, the first student of mine had fallen behind, and I was now running with the second student. I ran neck and neck with him to the finish, but he outkicked me in the last hundred yards and beat me by two seconds. It was a thrilling finish.
So it looks like there was enough muscle memory in my legs, as I finished the race with a chip time of 19:31.
Given this race's size, I've never placed in my age group, let alone won, but that's exactly what happened this time. I even got a plaque for my efforts:
I also posed with my dad under the Pour House sign, which has become a tradition for us.
Then I posed with friends from Who's Up:
Mental note: finish chewing before posing for a picture in the future.
Another year down and new memories added.
Some race reports from previous years:
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
This was technically my second race since Broad Street last May, but I was sick during my last race and didn't run very hard. So it had been awhile since I'd really pushed myself in a race.
I seriously didn't know if I would break twenty minutes, which is usually my benchmark time for the 5k. I know I say that a lot, and I always manage to come in under, but all the signs pointed to me straying north of this benchmark in this race: not having raced in so long, not having trained at all for the 5k distance, and probably having gained some weight since last spring when I was in decent shape for Boston.
I got to the Pour House at 7:30am, early enough to snag a good parking spot. Met my dad shortly afterwards and then hung out for the next hour and a half talking to my dad, saying hi to students and friends, and doing a brief warm up run.
At 9am, a thousand South Jersey runners walked two blocks down the street from the Pour House to the starting line. At the start, we charged back down Haddon Avenue, made a left onto Cuthbert, and another quick left onto Park.
 |
| The start. Photo by Patrick Rodio |
At mile two, I caught up with one of my students. I joked that if he couldn't beat me, then he was in trouble. He hung with me for awhile, and we both began to reel in another one of my students.
When we made the final left turn back onto Haddon Avenue, the first student of mine had fallen behind, and I was now running with the second student. I ran neck and neck with him to the finish, but he outkicked me in the last hundred yards and beat me by two seconds. It was a thrilling finish.
 |
| Trying to catch up to my student (in red) in the homestretch. Photo by Patrick Rodio |
So it looks like there was enough muscle memory in my legs, as I finished the race with a chip time of 19:31.
Given this race's size, I've never placed in my age group, let alone won, but that's exactly what happened this time. I even got a plaque for my efforts:
I also posed with my dad under the Pour House sign, which has become a tradition for us.
Then I posed with friends from Who's Up:
Mental note: finish chewing before posing for a picture in the future.
Another year down and new memories added.
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