Race day this year was Saturday, April 4, 2015, Holy Saturday, the third day of the Triduum, better known as the day before Easter. This was the 6th annual running of the event which started in 2010. The course has been basically the same over its six years with only the start/finish line changing from the North parking lot entrance to the South parking lot entrance of Bald Eagle Park Reserve. The weather was almost perfect, sunny and low 30’s for the start with a WNW wind of about 7 mph.
My son and daughter in-law live about a mile south of the start/finish line, and as I have done now for the past three years, I planned to park at their house and jog over for my warm up. Liz (my daughter in-law) was running the 15K today, she has recently gotten back into the sport, and this would be her first event of the young season.
When I arrived, the car temperature stated 32 F, and it felt chilly as I made my way into the house hoping the coffee was ready. We still had 30 minutes or so before needing to be at the starting line. I was happy for the hot coffee; as the pre-run chatter carried on and my Grand-Puppy Meryl bounded around with excitement. I talked Christopher into driving us over; the 15K started about half an hour after the half-marathon, so he could visit with Liz and keep her warm before the start of her run (that was my excuse anyway).
I wished Liz luck on her run and made my way over to the starting line where I ran into a few Tri-Fitness peeps. This is a Tri-Fitness event, so there were many familiar faces. I started training
I plugged into my 2015 Campwannarunamileormore play list (building of the playlist, this is a very important part of the pre-race preparation, you have to have the perfect playlist, right?) and jumped around a little waiting for the starting signal. With music already filling my head, the visual queue from those around me was my indicator to start my watch and get this going.
for the 13.1 mile trip skirting Bald Eagle and Otter Lakes. A group of about five runners, including Shelley and me, seemed to settle in at a brisk but maintainable pace (I knew Shelley would leave me in the dust at some point). We would pass Christopher and Liz’s house at about mile one and again at mile 12 on the return trip. I knew I would not see him on the way out but thought maybe he and Meryl might be there on the way back.
At about 3.5 miles or so in, as we made our way toward I35E and the west side of the course, Shelley lit the afterburners and within a few minutes was out of sight. The group of five that I started with began to dissipate and stretch out with me towards the back of the group. The wind was more noticeable on this side of the course, but with the warmth of the bright sunshine, I was still comfortable.
At about mile 6.5, the route turns east on Cedar and then makes its way back south to the north side of Bald Eagle Lake at mile 8.5 or so, and then follows around the perimeter of the lake, now counter-
I highly recommend this race whether as your first half, as an early season warm-
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