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November 24, 2005
The Drama
Today’s characters in order of age:
K, 14 year old male
S, 23 years old male
Audrey, 25 year old female
D (for Dad), 52 year old male
There was snow on the ground. It was about 36 degrees F as we wandered around the race site. It felt very cold. After checking in we spent almost an hour in the car pinning numbers on, putting on timing chips (it was K and S’s first races with timing chips), deciding what to wear, and just killing time. From inside the heated car we sized up the competition and decided who would beat us. Our list included a 9 year old girl doing drills and anyone in shorts and/or short sleeves. We almost had a family team shirt as the three of them all wore different variations of the same college shirt. I bucked the trend and was wearing a bona fide wicking long-sleeve running shirt. The overall plan was for all of us to run separately with our expected finishing order looking like this: K, Audrey, S, D.
K started out by the 6 mile pace card. He was planning on trying for a 6:30 first mile and then slowing down all race.
Myself, D, and S started somewhere a little further back by the 8 min/mile group, though the masses were all disregarding the pace cards anyway. There were about 2,000 people there and it was packed at the start.
K started off pretty quickly and was in the lead. Myself, D, and S ran together for about half a mile. It felt pretty slow to me so I picked up my pace a little and silently pulled ahead of us. I have no idea what my mile split was as none of us were sure where the official starting line was so we didn’t know when to start our watches. D and S ran together for a bit more before S pulled ahead of our Dad. Up ahead, I was passing people and still running comfortable. I decided racing feels pretty great when you are not going all out. I felt fabulous. I was finally warm and it was perfect running weather once you got going.
At the 2 ¼ mile mark my Dad came upon my brother S who he didn’t recognize at first. S was struggling. He was very hot and he had taken off his top shirt, gloves, and had lost his hat at some point. My Dad was in his groove and pulled ahead of S.
Up ahead, at about the 2 ½ mile mark I came upon my brother K. He had obviously slowed from his starting pace, but he looked like he was holding it together well. I patted him on the back and said, “Hey, almost done. Nice job.” He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Hey, there is NO WAY you are beating me,” and he picked up the pace. I jogged next to him for a few meters and then dropped back. My thought was that it wasn’t worth messing with my leg just to race him. Look how mature I was being! So I tucked in behind him and followed a few meters behind. I got close to him again and he picked up the pace again. He asked me where the finish was and I told him I had no idea. I decided I couldn’t stand leap frogging with him like this for the remainder of the race. I considered “hiding” behind him so he didn’t know I was there and wouldn’t speed up and then just sprinting past him at the end. I decided that was lame of me and I couldn’t do that to my brother. I also decided that since he wanted to beat me there was no problem with me blowing by him. And what great event was I “saving” my leg for anyway?? I felt fine. So off I went. I solidly picked up the pace for the last .2 miles. I usually have a strong kick anyway and I wasn’t fatigued from earlier in the race so it worked out well.
I crossed the finish line and turned around to wait for him. We high-fived, I removed my chip and then his, and we waited went to the side of the finish line to wait for the rest of our team. My Dad maintained his lead and finished next, followed by my brother S.
Final results
Audrey: 23:47ish
K: 24:00ish
D: 26:30ish
S: 27:00ish (Having only run up to 2 miles in training and with a pulled stomach muscle from running that required he spend the last week resting from training).
Overall thoughts: I love racing with my family. I think we should do it again! They all had fun too and I would really like to see everyone come back next year and beat their times. I bet we could even get more runners in the future as everyone's significant others would probably participate too. (S and my sis J have serious significants (both active) that will probably be around next year).
Thoughts about me: I feel fit! I love that I can run that pace comfortably. I know I have leg issues, but I feel like a healthy person overall.
Anywhoo, again, happy holidays people! No joke-I hear them talking about the race downstairs and I probably shouldn't be on the computer all alone while I'm home!
Posted by Audrey at November 24, 2005 12:50 PM
Comments
I'm going to borrow a comment that you wrote to me months ago, isn't it cool to do a race with your family! Congrats on "winning" and hopefully you can turn this into a Thanksgiving tradition!
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at November 24, 2005 02:13 PM
Yay Audrey!!! Great job. That is awesome that you had such a good time running with your family, and that you 'won'.
Have a great holiday weekend with the family!
Posted by: Barb at November 24, 2005 02:38 PM
Congratulations on the win! I hope your brother's ego isn't too damaged from getting beat by an injured girl :)
Posted by: Dallen at November 24, 2005 06:01 PM
Congratulations!
Posted by: Alison at November 24, 2005 06:35 PM
What a great holiday you've had Audrey. Chariots of Fire and a T-day race. Not to mention beating K. :) Wouldn't want to be beaten by the little brother. Nice job to everyone on the race, Audrey. I hope the rest of your weekend goes well.
Posted by: Jon in Michigan at November 24, 2005 06:48 PM
Congratualions on the great race!! Awesome for someone still recuperating from injury.
Posted by: ML at November 24, 2005 11:28 PM
i really liked this race report, with all the fam running; it might be the first one like this i've ever read! fun times. now with your first place TT finish you are safe for another year from any ribbing, heh.
Posted by: brent hopkins at November 26, 2005 04:06 PM
Way to go! I knew that you'd squash your brothers. It sounds like you had fun!
Posted by: ShoreTurtle at November 26, 2005 07:09 PM