
July 10, 2016 8:00 AM
This was an impromptu sign up. Many of my races are. I have not been motivated to run lately so I figured a race would get my running mojo going.
I also had a birthday party to go in Saratoga so I figured that I could run more, hang out and then change my clothes for the party.
Anyway, I did run the inaugural Saratoga Springs Half Marathon two years. I hated the loop and didn’t even consider running that race again (even though my friend Alyssa was running it.)

2014 – my least favorite half – almost passed out after…
The course is the same as the beginning of the half:
The 5K course starts in with a lap around the Peerless Pool Parking Lot, turns right on East West Road, and then right onto Geyser Loop Road. The course then turns left to run a lap around the SPAC Parking Lot and returning to Geyser Loop Road. The course finishes by turning right onto East West Road and finishing with a lap of the Peerless Pool Parking Lot.
Most of the runners were racing the half marathon which started at 7:30 am. There was a very small 5k field. But I still needed to get there early in order to get parking even though the 5k didn’t start until 8 am.
Rain was predicted but when I got there, it wasn’t raining. It was very humid and it looked like the rain may hold off.

tech shirt – the same as the half marathoners
I bumped into my friend Tom and we took our same goofy picture.
We watched the half marathoners take off. (I did see Alyssa and hugged her for good luck.)
And then the rains came…in full force.
We all huddled under shelter and didn’t want to leave.
Eventually, we had to move to the start line.

Tom & I heading to the start

waiting to begin
And so we started in the pouring rain and ran around the grass (not fun and very shaky footing) and then through the finish line before we exited and ran around the Peerless Pool Parking Lot.

an we’re off

on the grass

in the rain
This part of the course was not the least bit interesting but with all the twists and turns, I at least tried to run the tangents to save time.
Next we ran on the park’s roads which were pretty and encountered the first hill. I actually ran up most of it and didn’t walk until the first water stop around mile 1 1/4.
The we ran a lap around the SPAC Parking Lot which was again pretty boring.
Soon we were back on the scenic roads and I again walked at the second water stop around mile 2.
Mile 3 had the biggest hill. My legs were tired so I walked, then ran a little and finished the hill walking. I wasn’t paying attention to my Garmin and was pretty sure that I was going to have a pretty rotten finish time but really didn’t care.
It was still raining but not as hard.
The course finally finished with another lap of the Peerless Pool Parking Lot before running on the grass to cross the finish line.

heading onto the grass toward the finish line

thumbs up for the end to a rainy race
I looked at the clock. But all I saw was the half marathon time.
I got my medal (the same one the half marathoners get) and walked to see the results. They print them out and you know right away if you won your age group and you pick up your award there.
Believe or not, I won my age group. (Well, not shocking really since this was a small race and many locals were running the Boilermaker or this half.) And my finish time was decent. In fact, if I hadn’t walked 4 times, I may have PRed. (My current 5k PR is 27:11)

It doesn’t look it but I was drenched from head to toe
Tom won, as well.
At this point, it was raining harder than ever. So I grabbed some food and my umbrella and headed back to my car.
There was no way that I was running anymore in the rain or waiting around. So I drove and by time I got home, it was sunny. I tried to get in some more miles but it was so humid that I quit after 3 sluggish miles.
I showered and changed my clothes and drove back to Saratoga to a miniature golf party – lots of food and lots of fun. I even won second lowest score.
So another race has come and gone. For some reason, I need to walk several times even during a 5k. I never used to. Am I running too fast? Am I just not fit enough? Or is my age catching up with me?
Whatever the reason, I still enjoy the 5K race challenge. Besides, I don’t do any speed workouts so I should be happy with my not so speedy race results.
Splits:
mile 1 – 9:14
mile 2 – 9:22
mile 3 or so- 8:54 ( I ran the tangents & didn’t stop my watch right away)
Happy Running! Any races lately? Do you feel guilty if you walk during a race?
congrats on winning your age group, esp in the rain and for a race you signed up for last minute! you’re a great runner and you stick with it because you love it. i admire how many races you run!
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I wish I had your speed.
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I sometimes feel like I’m not a real runner since starting Galloway, but it works for me so I’m not abandoning it.
I wish I could almost PR when thinking I would have a bad finish time! Congrats.
I ran sat but managed to avoid the rain — tackled hills close to home since I never got in my hills workout last week.
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A lot of runners use Galloway. Use whatever works for you. Yup. I should do some hills.
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Oh, I know a lot of people use Galloway and right now I have no intention to change. But you also can’t help feeling what you feel.
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You DO look soaked through – that must have been something else, to race in such a downpour. Congrats on your finish!! Love your hat, btw – is it fairly new? Wondering if it’s still on the shelves somewhere…
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It’s not new. It’s Under Armour. I think I got it at Dicks.
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Argh! Grass and rain would suck! I don’t mind light rain, but i hate the deluge stuff!
Congrats on the AG 🙂 and that speedy freaking time, and who cares if you walk and are that fast! I at 11:00 minutes when I walk lol
I say walk on and keep collecting the AG’s 🙂
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Unfortunately I think my running with no walks days are over.
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Oh and great pictures! You got some really nice pics of you from this race 🙂
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Too bad they’re not free.
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Sorry to hear that it rained. But, it looks like you still had a great race.
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Congrats! You did great and thats awesome that you won your age group! Especially for racing last minute and in the rain. Wet pavement always seems to slow me down.
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Congrats on your AG finish. I hate running in the rain, so I am impressed when anyone does so. I did a 20K in the pouring rain about 4 years ago and it still brings back nightmares. Windy. Cold. Yuck. Just yuck.
So I am impressed anytime someone races in the rain.
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At least it was only 3 miles and it was warm.
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That is an impressive finish time! Congratulations! I wish I didn’t have to walk, but when I run a complete half marathon, my mile time is two minutes slower than when I run/walk, so there you go. I usually will run a 5k but you are still faster than me!
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Glad to hear that someone else has to walk. I can run a 5k without walking but I am faster when I walk.
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