It is nice to run a race that is only 10 minutes from your house.

This is my 5th time running this race and my 7th 5 miler.

My Delmar Dash times:

2015, 2014, 2013, 2011 – 45:26 (PR), 48:14, 47:39, 47:08

My Shamrock Shuffle times: 
2016, 2015 –  46:28, 46:29

Now only if spring would arrive. We’ve had a few warm days but not today!! This was what they predicted:

Yeah, right? Cold temps, snow and wind!!!

I woke up to snow on the ground.  It was 30 degrees but 18 with the windchill.  Yikes!

It’s always hard at this time of year to decide what to wear.  Too cold for spring clothes but I am tired of jackets and tights.

I opted for a jacket over a long sleeved shirt, a skirt attached to capris, compression socks, a hat & gloves and hoped that it would be enough.

I got there early and got a close spot in the parking lot. (I know, I am running 11 miles yet I want to park close.) I knew a few people doing this race so I went inside the school to look for them.

I bumped into a few people and we chatted. Then I picked up my shirt and bib.

Then I bumped into Judy and met some of her friends.

Soon Barbara arrived and we all hung out and chatted until the race started. It was too cold outside so we waited until the last minute.

My hope for the race was to have a decent finish time. That would be under 50 minutes. I had a PR last year and I doubted that I could or wanted to beat that. (I need to stay healthy for April 24!!)

I lined up with the faster runners including someone I work with (I just discovered that she is a runner but she is super speedy.)

Of course waiting for the race to begin, I was cold but I was fine as soon as I started running. My hands were cold for awhile but even they warmed up. (I even regretted that extra vest, I added at the last minute). And it was windy but only in gusts and much less than predicted. (Those winds came later.)

I tried to start out fast but not too fast.  Though I never know what this is. And I probably did since my legs seemed to have zero energy today.

I tired with each mile but tried my best to keep it up.

There were timing signs at every mile so I knew that I was not running well.

Plus almost everyone I knew (including Barbara) who was behind me passed me by and continued to get farther and farther ahead of me.

By the water stop at mile 2.5 or so, I needed to walk.

It helped a little but I never really got a second wind. Luckily this course is fairly flat.  And it should have been easier than the hilly 5 miler I ran 2 weeks ago but for some reason, it was not.

I finally saw the finish line and crossed at 47:XX (Officially 47:14 – almost 2 minutes slower than last year!!)

I found Barbara and we both waited for Judy who had a good race (finishing at 55 minutes or so).

I went inside to get some food with Barbara. I had some soup, bread, birthday  cake and hot chocolate.  Judy went to change her clothes and get a massage.

I came in 4th in my age group.  The woman who came in 3rd was the one I beat in both races the last two weeks.  She is probably happy.

Splits: (according to my Garmin)

2015 / 2016

mile 1- 8:51 / 8:59
mile 2- 8:58 /  9:18
mile 3- 9:08 / 9:23
mile 4- 9:31 / 9:48
mile 5- 9:11 / 9:31
mile .02 – 7:92 / 6:34

45:26 / 47:14

Well, all races can’t be good ones.  It wasn’t terrible.  I know that I could have run faster but I didn’t.  At least, I felt fine after the race.

Since this course is flat and near where I live, it is still one of my favorite races and I will run it again next year.

Here are some  pictures that I stole from FB 🙂 Thanks Dr. Tom!!

Though after the race, it felt colder and windier, I needed to run 6 more miles…ugh!!

I was so happy that Judy and Barbara were going to keep my company.  I ran alone after my race last weekend and it wasn’t much fun.

I left my car in the parking lot and we headed into town. Then we cut over to the rail trail.

The most interesting part of the run was watching 2 eagles soaring overhead.

I ran with Barbara for awhile but I was tiring and my feet were starting to hurt (I wore old shoes because I didn’t want to get my expensive ones dirty – yeah, stupid!)

I finished the run walk/running with Judy.

It was slow but it was so much nicer to have someone to talk to.  It made the run seem less painful. Eventually we completed 5 miles and arrived back at our cars. Unfortunately I still had to run one more mile.  And the wind picked up.  I was almost blown away several times.

Anyway – 11 miles done… 3 weeks until my  next half marathon.