Running Confuzzled: Race Day: Philly Run Wild 2014

After three blog posts about injuries, let's jump to something a little more fun, shall we?

Race day!

Billie and I ran our first ever 5K on April 27th, the Philly Run Wild at the Philadelphia Zoo. We got up bright and early to start out 1.5 hour drive down the turnpike. We got there with little issue (there were some wrong turns into scary neighborhoods but we made it!) and got our bibs. Our first bibs!

See how excited we are!

Since I haven't been at this blog for long, I'll tell you that's me on the right. Billie gave me the pretty running tank I wore that day, it's rainbow parrots. Birdies! We entered the waiting area and got ready to run. Mostly we just paced around and peeked at the peacocks in the trees. This is where I mentioned before that nerves got to me and I never got around to stretching prior to my run. Oh dear... Once they told us to line up the road became very congested. The family behind us kept trying to take pictures which is all fine and good, who doesn't love a photo? But seriously man, if you're going to be all up in my business and invading my personal space then at least say excuse me... I don't mean usual crowded "invading my space" either. This guy was backing into us to get far away enough to take his picture without ever checking where he was going. Say excuse me and all is forgiven but he didn't even seem to care who or what was behind him. Sigh. Ancient history, I know, I'm over it, but please friends let's be polite to other runners!

Anyway the race started and I ran for the most continuous running streak I've done since running 4 minutes on the treadmill. Seriously outside running is much harder than treadmill running! We ran and panted and finally stopped for a walk break right before the Cheetah enclosure. The Cheetahs were up and about already that morning and one was dashing back and forth with the runners as they passed. Adorable! We didn't stop to take any photos of them though, as that would have required some yanking and pulling of phones out of their pouches. Need to make note of that for Disney, perhaps hold my phone or figure out some easier to access pouch. We ran as much as we could and walked when we couldn't run any more. At this time (meaning April) I had a little more endurance than Billie had, so I lead the way for most of our race and would occasionally peek behind me and encourage her to keep catching up. There are a deceptive amount of hills in the Philly Zoo! We weaved through the zoo and out along the road, back behind the zoo then back in the way we'd come. After we passed the Cheetahs again I realized my knee was starting to bother me. "No no no, I'm ignoring you!" I thought. Yeah, nope. We started running to cross the finish line and I had to stop and walk short of our goal. Billie pulled ahead to make sure she got a 5K record. I don't mind it, she did good! My finishing time per my Nike Sportwatch was 51:18, though I did forget to turn it off for a minute after we'd finished. "I finished a race! Didn't I have to do something now?"

Me showing off my bib again post race.

Billie post race. "Whew, we did it!"

Celebratory friendly post race shot.

They had some free massages for first come first serve. That creeped me out a little bit so we didn't do that. We did grab some of the free food though. I had a "Kind" bar, a little baggie of chips and some water. I had actually been hoping for a post race banana but I think all of the fast runners gobbled them up before we got there.

See now this is where I have to tell you.... we came in something like 800th place. I forget exactly, I'm certain I could look it up if I really cared but I don't - it wasn't ever about which place we came in. It was about getting out there, running with a friend, and crossing the finish line. AND, we got to see cute animals to boot. So if you suck at running? Sign up for that 5K anyway. You can do it!

Here are some more pictures from the day.