Klassic Results

How many races can we run? That might be the theme of the year! It seems like I barely get finished with a race and it's time for another one. I'm not complaining, but it makes it easy to plan the weekend when you know Saturday is race day. Though, it gets confusing where I should be standing that morning, Battle Creek last week, Kalamazoo this week, back to Battle Creek next week!

This week was the Kalamazoo Klassic. This always seems like a popular race based on the turn out, but I soon found out why it's so popular...the course. Everybody is always happy when a course is advertised as a flat, fast course. Well the Klassic is a downhill course. Hence, very popular to help with the PR's (personal records).

Another reason the Klassic is popular, they run the 10K first and the 5K second. This gives the true crazy runners a chance to run both runs. CT and I should have done this to help us work on our distance for our marathon coming up, but we have both been preoccupied with trying to get faster in our 5K's. We decided we wanted to be fresh and push for our PR's. CT's sister did the 10K and did awesome at it. The 10K is much harder. It laps the 5K course twice and remember how I said the 5K is downhill? Well, the part that is cut out of the 5K is a HUGE hill, which the 10K people have to do. Anybody that does that hill gets immediate props from me.

Getting there early to watch CT's sister was great. It was a blast cheering on other running friends as they went by as well. When it came to our race it wasn't like I spent all my energy cheering, but I was already sweating. The later start time, the cheering, and simply walking up that hill a couple of times already had me second guessing if this would be a PR run. Once the race started, the first half mile felt like being herded like cattle. It was a decent pace, but I know if I were free and clear I would have gone faster. A mile in, it opened up enough where I could run at my own pace, but then the sun hit. Between mile one and two, it felt like the sun was scorching me. At this point, I mentally gave up any notion of trying for a PR. I figured I was already behind on my time, I was starting to overheat, simply run to have fun and don't worry about the PR. After mile two, it was all downhill, which you'd think was the greatest feeling in the world, wrong! The best part was the shade! That last mile wasn't easy, but it felt survivable at that point.

Coming down to the finish line, I saw on the clock exactly what I wanted, it still read 20:xx. Wow, did better than I thought even though I felt like I had given up somewhere before mile two. I had to dodge one younger kid in front of me as he puked and crossed the line thirteen seconds better than my previous best!

I always worry about the day CT crosses the line before me. Until then, I think we make a great pair because I feel like death crossing the line. I catch my breath, stumble to the water station, get a drink, then grab a cup for her and about the time I get back to finish line, her she comes. By the time she crosses the line, I feel better, give her water, and to her look like I'm not even tried as she's now the one dying!

No medal for me this week. All the fast people show for this race and knew even if I did get my PR, it wouldn't be enough to place in this race. Still, I feel good about getting my PR again for 4th 5K in a row. BTW, CT not only got her PR as well, but she did medal in her age group. Until next week, readers.