June 28th, 2009
This was my worst race all year, but I knew it would be as of last night at my friend Yvonne’s birthday party where I downed about 2/3 bottle of Pinot and ate till my tummy ached. I managed to get to bed at 11:30 but had one of those drunken wake-up-at-3am scenarios where you never really get back to solid sleep.
Honestly, I would have bagged this race if I hadn’t already bagged the Media 5-miler a couple weeks ago because it was another hot one – sunny and 76 degrees. But one of the benefits of having a blog is you have to do shit you’ve committed to, else you look like a big wuss to a ton of people. That said, though it sucked time-wise, it was pretty entertaining in all other aspects.
The race goes around a sports arena, the Wachovia Center, home to the 76ers (the Philly basketball team, for those as sports-retarded as me). It circles the arena and a large parking lot 2.5 times so it’s all on concrete sidewalks. Half the course (around the perimeter of the parking lot) smells like piss, which makes you want to go faster, though I couldn’t, try as I might.
I knew it was going to be a difficult run during my warmup when my strides clocked a blistering 6:50. Oh well, as I wrote in the Women’s BQ thread, I’m due a “fun run” so this was it.
For the bulk of the race, there was a young thing neck-and-neck with me and another woman right ahead of us. There were also 2 girls ahead but not within my immediate area. All I could manage was 6:55 mi, which on one hand was “omg, look how hard I suck” but on the other hand, I just worried about these two others and fought for placing.
At 3/4 mile left to go, the one girl in front of me just plain gave up…stopped dead in her tracks. That was fabu, though I totally understood the feeling and felt bad for her. The neck-and-neck girl slowed down as well, so I beat her, too.
Cut to the chase, I won 3rd place OA with a 21:29. 1st and 2nd were a 19 and 20 year old (see how I make myself feel better for a cruddy race by blaming the youth of today?)
But the bounty! Oh my, if I cared about basketball, I’d be in heaven. As it is, Nick’s kids (one of whom is visiting from Oregon, the other lives in an apt. below) were like pigs in shit splitting up the booty. Otherwise, I’d have put it all on Ebay.
The one thing I kept is a certificate for 2 Club Box tickets to a 76ers game this coming season – supposedly that’s pretty cool with waiter service and everything. As for the rest, I got a ton of signed crap; 3 mini-basketballs, 2 framed photos, 3 hats, a t-shirt, a basketball jersey, a journal, playing cards, noisemaker, water bottle and a duffel bag to hold it all (cat not included).
So I had a fine time despite my silly finishing time. In fact, I’m kind of happy that I finally had a “fun run” of a race. Onward and upward, now I can concentrate on enjoying the rest of the summer, rebuilding my mileage and getting ready for marathon training in August.
Ciao darlings. Until the next installment, run well everyone!
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holy shit that’s a lot of schwag for your NOT shitty race (but who’s idea was it to run in a parking lot? Really, who thinks up this crap?)
Even though I didn’t in the BQ thread, I’m gonna call you out for calling this a “fun run”. You came in 3rd OA, dammit, breathing in piss fumes and running on pavement. That’s not phoning it in. So you didn’t get a PR, but schwag notwithstanding, it doesn’t sound like a hell of a lot of fun in the actual running.
So your awesomeness continues.
+1 to Barb
I’m so impressed by the amount of free stuff! Just curious, but did everyone get that, was that the 2nd place prize, or did you win it in a drawing? Great job!!!!
Thanks my sweet chickadees, Doggie, Barb and LARunner.
LA, that was all for 3rd place (male #3 got the same stuff). I don’t know all that #1 and #2 got (they had different bags ‘o crap) but #2 got Season tickets to the 76ers games and #1 got a $200 gift certificate for Dick’s Sporting Goods. Generous little race, for sure.
I like the cat. That’s an impressive pile of stuff. All I got today was a blue ribbon and warm glow, but that’s OK. Good job after partying, Flo. Did you wear the magic shoes?
Congrats Jim! I just read the report, Mr. AG Winner! I’m so happy for you. Yes to magic shoes, so I hate to think how much worse I’d have been without, lol.
I always see you running on the kelly and I came in 2nd OA. Anyway I saw this post and I thought I would say I completely agree with your asessment about the awful smell and the stupid idea to lap a stadium… I got a bunch of signed hockey crap but I’m going to put it on ebay because I have no one to give it to
Runforlife!! How cool to meet you here, will you say hi next time you see me? I seem to have runner blindness half the time.
Congrats on the win! Hilarious about the hockey crap. I wish you knew a hockey fan because when I gave the stuff to Nick’s son, I asked if anything is worth anything and he said “I’d hold onto this” (one of the signed balls), “it’ll be worth something eventually”. I let him have it anyway because it’s still just crap to me, but if you can make more selling one of those items in a year or two, that’d be fun.
Nice bling. If you’re a basketball fan.
And nice time for what you call your worst race all year. Funny, in my worst race, I drop out and sit sobbing next to a boxer. In yours, you come in third.
This newfound speed is going to come in awfully handy when you start training for the marathon again.
What I love most about this race report is that you are old enough to be those girls’ mother. In some communities, notably those found far below the Mason-Dixon Line, their grandmother.
I have won two things in races:
A cooler that got taken by my wife, and a basket of peaches that my wife ate.
So I feel your pain LOL!
Pretty good cruddy race. Those are some great prizes.
Julie, how I ache with you for that scene. I know it’s not for everyone, but that’s a wonderful thing about taking a shorter-distance racing season, there’s so much less at stake because you can try again numerous times within a few months span. Laughing at the ma/grandma comment. If I had kids, I could be a MILB Mothers I’d Like To Beat.
Good prizes, too, peaches and a cooler from different races. It’s like a message to relax.
Preston, lol, that’s one way to get wifely support for a running habit, seeing as how she’s the one who profits from it.
Thanks Bruce. I feel bad for all sports enthusiasts who would appreciate that stuff, that it should end up in such non-caring hands.
Wow, for a sucky race you were awesome!
There’s a 5K race in San Antonio sponsored by the Silver Stars (WNBA) and the whole race is through parking lots around the AT&T center. Ugh.
I’m thinking below the Mason-Dixon line is something like country Queensland. I’m not sure Julie’s offering you a compliment!
Anyway, 21:25ish isn’t too bad for a fun run – and 3rd place is way better than fourth.
Nice job for a sucky race!!!!!!!
Excellent job on the run! I ran as well (only my 4th race ever) and I think I came in around 26:30. I love your website! Do you know where we can find the results for this past Sunday???
Thanks Stacy, Ewan and Christi!
Cristina, great job girl! With only 4 races under your belt, you have a lot of growing ahead. I’m not sure who did the timing but Athletescloset apparently did it last year and they’re listed as a sponsor, so I’m thinking that’s the website to watch. Though they should get it up on the actual race site today (you’d hope, anyway).
great job for something you considered a “fun” run! and those are some awesome prizes, basketball fan or not. glad you had some people to unload the stuff onto