Race report - MSP Fall Colors 5k

I haven't posted in a while, mainly because my laptop broke. Sure, we have another computer, but that is al the way in the other room. I can run 13 miles, but gettting up and sitting at the desk is just way too much to ask. Well, I finally broke down and got a new laptop (it would have cost almost as much to fix the old one), so I am back and comfy on the couch.

Anyhow, I ran races the last 2 weekends. They weren't anything spectacular (both the races and my performances), but I enjoyed them anyway. I guess I'll hit the first race in this post.

I was not at all ready to run the MSP Fall Colors 5k the weekend after the Brooksie Way Half Marathon. I was not "healed up" from the race and my legs, while improved over the previous couple days, were just not right.  However, when there was an opportunity to run with a free entry from Renewal by Andersen Detroit, I jumped at it. As another bonus, a couple of my Brooksie Way teammates were going to be there.

I got there early and it was cold! Luckily, the rain was holding off or it would have been miserable. I signed up, got my stuff, tried to find people and attempted to keep warm. Before the race started, there was a nice ceremony as a tribute to officers that had fallen during the year (the purpose of the race was to raise money for Thin Blue Line, an organization which helps families effected by loss or injury of state troopers and other officers). I am NOT complaining about the ceremony it was very nice and honored several officers who had passed while on duty or otherwise. However, from purely a running standpoint, it wasn't ideal to stand mostly still for about 20 minutes in the cold.

After the ceremony, we all walked to the starting line. We thought we were at the back of the pack, but once we got there, we found out the race was going in the other direction, which was a bonus. After some goofing around and getting things ready, we started. It wasn't a road race, but not quite a trail run either. The course was a bit hilly, especially early. Almost immediately, I knew this wasn't going to be a PR day. The course was too hilly, terrain a bit tough and I just didn't have "it".

Late in the race, I started catching some people, but I didn't follow through and once I caught up to them, I was too tired to really try to pass and was content just to cruise to the finish. I ended up finishing a little over a minute off my PR. Others that I was with did well.

My favorite part of the race was the Affy Tapple (caramel apple) at the end of the race. OK, Affy Tapples. I ate one and, because it was so cold, it was as hard as a rock. It was still good and I grabbed one more when I saw they were packing up with many apples left. The second one didn't have nuts on it and was not as good... but it was still good.