I'm going to steal "format" from another blogger...maybe changing it up a little bit...
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Terrain: The race was on a high school campus, so we ran a bit on the track, some on grass, some in the parking lot, a lot on crooked, muddy ground. It was fun!
Time: 26:43 There was no chip or clock, but this is the time the woman at the finish line told me as I crossed.
This race was a little bit different from others in that you were encouraged to eat Munchkins throughout the race. There was a water table and a donut table at each mile marker. The donuts were in cups that you were told to hang on to in order to get a 10 second deduction for each donut eaten during the race! The part I didn't hear was that there was a limit of 30 seconds to have deducted. Basically, you only got credit for the first 3 donuts you ate.
This race was pretty heavy on "younger" people attendance. Seriously. When they were beginning to line up, I tried to make sure the cross country team was ahead of me....and the high schoolers....and the college kids. I saw some big dudes mid-pack who were joking about how many donuts they could eat, so I did make sure to get in front of them! Haha. My Garmin needed a new battery, so I had nothing on me to help me with pacing, or anything. When the race started, I just took off...more to get out of the crowd than anything. Based on my music, I would guess my first mile around 8:00. I saw the donut table and grabbed 2 cups. As I began to munch on the first, I realized what a stupid idea this truly was. HA. I couldn't breath or chew and wasn't even making enough saliva to swallow!! Goodness. I slowed to a walk in order to choke it down and then began running again...just holding on to the 2nd donut. At mile 2 (no guesses on time, I had put my music on random at this point and was just running), I grabbed another donut (even though I was still carrying one!). I wanted some water, but I only have 2 hands.
At this point, my legs were happy for another walk break, so I slowed down and ate a donut. This one went down much easier since I started walking first! I picked up my speed again and was feeling good! For a minute! Then my stomach was entirely unhappy about it's donut experience. Yuk. The 3rd donut in my hand was getting gross...glaze all over my palm. Ick. At this point I also slipped in some mud when I misjudged a puddle's circumference, so I just decided to run it out and get this over with! I had been right behind/beside a very young boy and managed to ask him how old he was at one point...8 years old!!! Wow! I was determined to finish with him. I got caught up for a second at the gate leading back in to the final 1/2 way around the track...they said I had to eat my final donut. I just handed it over and got back to running. I have to say the volunteer looked a little annoyed with me!
Not nearly as annoyed, however, as the 3 boys waiting at the finish line...waiting for the promised "3 donuts" I would be bringing them. We were instructed to walk through in the order we finished (um, I was surrounded by middle schoolers), so I was walking through, I tried explaining to the kids that they wouldn't let me bring donuts past the finish line. They didn't care. They could see the line I was in would be ending at a large table FULL of munchkin boxes! Hooray! They watched excitedly as I was handed a box...then their faces FELL as they watched me open the empty box! :( Oh, goodness. It was a sad moment for my kids.
We quickly walked out of the stadium to the first mile marker where the donut table was still set up. As we approached, I saw some people walk through and overheard them say they were the "sweepers". My boys got all the donuts they could handle!! The volunteers offered them to take "as much as you want"! Oh, boy, did those eyes light up. :)
So, all's well that ends well, right??
Okay...as I finished typing this, I decided to do one last check on the website www.donutrun.org to see if the results were posted. They are. Guess what????? With an official time of 26:40 (PR), I was also the first female aged 30-34 (my typical age group) to cross the finish line. WHAT!?!?!? Hahahahaha. That just made my day. Seriously, seriously, seriously. Feel free to check it out for yourself here. Now, I will mention, I was 139th out of 439...but I'm telling you, the ages are all in their "teens"! I am also listed as representing Tomahawk Middle School, but whatever.
Yeehaw! Have a great day!!
xoxo
Does that mean you get an age group award? If so, AWESOME. And actually, awesome either way... a new PR - YAY! You are a rock-star! :)
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