Today was the 5th Annual the Zoo Run Run benefiting the Columbian Park Zoo in Lafayette. It was allegedly a 5k run, but ended up being closer to a 6k run due to some routing problems. This wasn’t a big deal, because what’s an extra 1/2 mile among friends? But, it was kind of funny since a lot of folks had watches and devices that told them how far they had gone. So, they’d turn on the jets to finish out the 5k only to find that they had another 1/2 mile to go. Oops.
I had my pace screwed up from the get go since I’m a) not that fast; and b) lined up near the front of the pack at the start. These folks started out with a pace that was much faster than I’m capable of. But, it’s just natural to keep up with the pack a little bit. So, consequently, I was gassed after about a mile and was never particularly comfortable. Nevertheless, I think I ended with a 9 or 9.5 minute/mile pace which is pretty fast for me. So, maybe I just need to push myself a bit more.
In any case, the weather was fantastic, the people were friendly, and I got a T-shirt out of the deal; not to mention ending with a pancake breakfast — the sausage links were my favorite. I’m coming to understand that pork is the perfect post-race food. Weird.
I also participated in the Zoo Run Run today. It was my first 5K and probably not my last. I was pretty hesitant to jump in the mix considering I have never run with a partner let alone 300 people! It was a BLAST! Pacing was a bit of a challenge for me, but I set my sights on someone in front of me and continually passed people until I felt like I was at a comfortable pace. I finished sub-30 which was a lot better than I thought I would do! The weather was perfect and the food, by Bison, was delicious (especially the sausage links)! I couldn’t have asked for a better first 5K experience.