I have a running friend who works for Ford and they are the major sponsor for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 5K. This particular race is held in Oakville. They started this race three years ago and she asked a bunch of us if we would be willing to participate. I had never done a 5K race before so I was game.
I've done it every year since. This is a small race, roughly 300 participants, and you get some pretty good race kit and post-race goodies for such a small race.
The first year I did this, I came third in my age group. Something I'd never done before so I was pretty pumped. Last year, I took 50 seconds off the previous year and came in second, but I got bumped up to first because the woman who won my age group won the Masters. Sweet!! Thank you very much, unknown fast woman. But wait.....she beat me by a measly nine seconds!! Ah, if I had only known, I wonder if I could have run any faster?
Fast forward to this year. Once again, we were asked to participate so I went on a little re-con mission. I wanted to know if this woman was racing again so I checked, re-checked and checked yet again the confirmation page to see if she was racing. I was bound and determined to beat her and to try and take the Masters title away from her. (Competitive much?) She wasn't racing! Well, at least as far as online registration went. No worries, I know what she looks like now so I scoured the crowds on race day to see if she came out. Not that I could see. Woohoo, victory could be mine.
When we arrived at the parking lot, I bumped into one of my Daily Mile friends, Laurie Ann, and we wished each other a good race. She is a diabetic and has raised many funds for this event. In fact, she was the top fundraiser last year. I also met her husband and kids, one of which was racing, the other being pushed in the stroller by dad.
As I was walking towards Laurie Ann, I saw another woman at the back of her vehicle who had some lime green KT tape on the back of her legs. She looked fast -- whatever that means.
I put myself as close to the front of the start line without looking like a tool for getting so close. The gun went off and I took off. I knew this would be a sufferfest, and I was prepared to suffer. I hurt for the whole 5K.
Around the 2.5K mark I see lime green KT tape girl passing me. I thought to myself that this could be someone I need to hang on to. I tried, I really did, but she was just too fast.
Turns out she was someone I needed to hang onto. She won the women's Masters and she beat me handily by 50 seconds. I take comfort in the fact that she's eight years younger than me and I still won my age group.
The small one for finishing and the big one for my age group win. |
Four other friends and the hubs also raced and everyone had PBs. Three of us podiumed (is that a word?) so we were one happy run club.
My buddy Kevin came in 2nd in his age group and my buddy Kerry came in 3rd in our age group |
That's the gang who raced.... |
...and that's a hurting face coming into the finish. |
Congrats to you! I can totally picture that scenario with KT tape lady--been there more than once myself. Next year!
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