Memorial day & 5k, 2007

I'll rehash last year's message, which still applies today:

Besides God, today was made possible by the millions of troops who gave the ultimate sacrifice to preserve and protect our freedom. Many barbecue, go to the beach &/or to a club, advertise sales or shop for discounts and forget the true meaning of why this day was set aside. We have fun while many go down by gun. I dressed in a manner to commemorate this day & many times while running I thought about war in general. I never like them but since it's happening, just remember & honor. I have never served but I, at the very least, have great respect for those who did & do. Keep up the good work.

I trained with an elite new comer, Michael, this memorial weekend. Saturday, we did a 14.5 mile long run over the Rick & our half marathon split was just under 1:45, a lot faster than I intended. I think the weather (cooler & wetter than usual), plus the fact we fed off each other, helped. Sunday was a long ride (30+ miles is long for me) at a comfortable pace for most of it.

Today's agenda-memorial day classic 5k

I was aware that this would be a fast race, so I was careful how I aproached this in training. Yes, I ran this one again, amongst an all-star field. Last year, I set a 2006 P.R. by outkicking someone who normally beats me & by one second, I captured the last master's overall slot (3rd) and, at the same time, tied with a 17 year old with the time of 18:19; I was 13 overall. Not so this year. The guy I beat (JB), went to another race. The same slot I took last year was filled by someone who just broke the 18 barrier. Worse, I was 11 seconds slower this year. However, I was pushed harder, and similiar to last year, I outkicked someone (WM) who normally beats me. This year, the race director said today had a record turnout of over 600! Amazing, since there was a rival race. I do know that most of the heavyweights that planned on racing showed here. I lost the top slot by 3 seconds, despite getting past stiff competition, including Jeffrey Tait, the fast kid. This one had a pancake breakfast & raffle, which qualifies a flash race.

Praise the lord & honor the troops; happy memorial day!

Honorable mention

Inga placed 1st, Mike N placed 2nd but set a PR

Deerfield dilemma

The Deerfield dilemma is in reference to doing to events in the general area, in addition to the outcome of events. In order to save time & distance, I had to drive up Friday from work in Dade county to pick up my packet in Broward county for the du, then meet up with friends in Palm beach county. Along the way, I was met with the normal bumper to bumper after work traffic, plus rain.

Saturday agenda-Publix duathlon

This event featured a triathlon as their main event, duathlon & open mile swim, plus for fire fighters, a beach blowout challenge. Since I am a land lover, I did the du. In the lead run, I was about 5th place but struggled in both transitions & on the bike. This dilemma was tantamount to Dwayne Wade's poor performance in the playoffs & it cost me the top slot, albeit only by 6 seconds. Although the winner, 17 years old, was in the lead through out the race after the 1st transition blunder, I was unknowingly reducing the lead & could've have caught him & possibly beat him had I been aware. Unfortunately, there's no way to know how someone signed up nor keep track once the du & tri combine in transition. The kid almost got beat by an old man! He's now on notice & I'm sure we're both going to step up our game. Although not as good as last year, this still qualified as a 5 star flash race, with both a breakfast & small lunch. No hot meal this time but plenty to indulge upon. An improvement was made in regards to the award. Instead of the normal wood plaque, they gave out the one similar to the ocean drive 5k (glass), only to all that placed, not just the top (thank goodness).

Sunday morning agenda-Audi scholarship run

This event featured both a 10k & a 5k and was put on by Premier running, soccer & tri, the store who's race team I am a member of. We had good representation at this event. If you use I-95, you'll pass briefly through Deerfield but head west toward Parkland, where the event was actually held. Because of its proximity, I still deem it as part of the Deerfield dilemma. When asked which one (10k or 5k), many were startled by my response, "both". Mathematically, this was possible because the 10k was scheduled for 6:45 am, while the 5k was for 7:30. The dilemma was that the former started late & the latter, early. As I crossed the finish line for the 10k, the other race just took off. Because of this, I was the last runner to start in the 5k & got lost on the poorly marked course. When the dust cleared, I had finished with times commensurate to my estimates. In regards to the 10k, I knew that the wind & the bridge would slow my pace. As far as the 5k, I calculated for the fatigue factor but not for the logistic errors of the race officials. By the grace of God, I placed in both events, bringing back memories of the days of old, when I was much younger. Guess what? This qualified as a flash race due to the food & drink. I'd say 4 stars because no hot meals were served for breakfast, such as pancakes & no lunch. The overalls got normal tall trophies, but however, age group winners got a unique Apollo-like trophy (track shoe with wings). That was the only one of that type I ever got in my 16 year history; I love it!

Sunday evening agenda-twilight 5k

I did not register for this one, despite doing it last year, for the following reasons: 1. insufficient funds, 2. only give out gift certificates, no tangible awards, 3. ran 2 events prior on the same day, 4. past history of success (in the run, I have never placed & in the walk, the past few events, joggers were allowed to win). However, I still needed to show in order not to disappoint many friends & to do my training walk. I knew this was a flash race, & I give as 4 stars as well. Only a small fast food dinner but lots to eat. I helped the top walker by pacing on the side.

Happy mom's day

To all the ladies out there, happy mother's day.

Saturday agenda-Lou Gehrig's disease

I had to make a dreaded decision of choosing between 2 races. I normally don't do that & race them both, but that was literally impossible today. A race I normally do, run for the roses 5k, was held at Markham park in Broward county. Judging by the results, if I ran the same time, I would've won the master division & picked up a unique mystery award. Instead, I chose the ALS Lou Gehrig's disease event based on proximity & the fact it supports a good cause; price wise, it was expensive. This event offered a 10k run & a 5k run or walk. I declined on the 5k racewalk for 2 reasons: 1. strength of schedule (weak=lone race of weekend) & 2. lack of walk enforcement (too many joggers allowed to win as walkers). I passed on the 10k, also for 2 reasons: 1. was injured 2 weeks prior & need to recover both physically (already) & mentally, and 2. odds not in my favor because it is not my usual distance. After reviewing the results, if I ran as well as I did last time at lakes of the meadow, I would've placed 2nd.

Since I knew this was the only day of racing this weekend, I felt I had to bring it. Other incentives included: 1. saw trophies to be awarded after race, 2. someone came up to me & said he wanted to beat even though he wasn't in his age group, 3. restore my form (whenever I get injured, I must recuperate both the mind & body). The 10k started first, at 7:30 am. When the race began 5-10 minutes later, I was barely in the top 15, with a couple of boys & a girl in front. I had to remind myself to run my race, not theirs. After a mile, I cut it down to top ten, & then had to contend with the slow 10 k'ers. As I was weaving in and out of foot traffic, I managed to advance to top 5, with the master runner who warned me, al lado (next to me). He had a friend on a bicycle coaching him (in spanish) & encouraging him to beat me. Unbeknownst to them, I heard & understood the conversation, due to my previous studies. I heard him call out the pace (was inaccurate) & as he spoke, he told him not to respond, so as not to lose his breath. I used this to assist me in his defeat by #1. being cognizant of his position by audible exchange & #2. not picking up my pace until halfway through the final mile. With him out the way, my last challenge was to take out the next runner. I caught up to him by mile 3 but did not realize the following: #1. he was third overall, #2. he is 16 years old. He outkicked me in the .1 sprint to the finish by utilizing his youth to maintain his position; I can just image he was embarrassed that, after leading all that time, he almost lost to an old man! If the master title were offered, I would've won that, but instead, I had to settle for top in my age group. Wanna hear another twist? On site, I lost 3rd overall by 5 seconds, with an 18:34, but online, I lost by a much larger margin. However, it has me setting a PB by breaking 18! I ran well, but not that good. It does make me look good & eventually, I will earn that! I was surprised that this had decent amenities & qualified as a 2 or 3 star flash race. Best of all, I met up with lots of friends, many I haven't seen for a while. The biggest surprise was a teacher I had way back in high school, who remarkably, remembered me. Sadly, I needed some help to bring back my memory; must be gettin' old.

Sunday agenda-mother's day

I already spent time with mom today, along with sis. I shall train on this day. I recommend the same for all of you, even if you are a mother.

Honorable mention

Jonathan ran well enough to place top of his age group.
Louis N placed 3rd, despite online results & what he thought.
Lisa Dorfman topped her group.
Jon Williams won the 5k over 2 16 year old kids.
Rosa did the 5k & hubby ran the 10k.
many friends, whose names slipped my mind at the time of this blog, participated as well.

Cinco de Mayo weekend

Feliz cinco de Mayo, amigos! I completed 4 events: pre cinco de mayo=corporate run, cinco de mayo=run for the children & post cinco de mayo=swim bike & run triathlon, sprint & olympic.

Thursday agenda-corporate run (5k)

Held on an unusual night, this is by far the largest 5k in south Florida. Because of its sheer size, the fact that only the overall winners can get an award & the requirements to be in this event (employed &/or sponsored by a company or corporation), I never take this one seriously. After work, I am tired & can't prepare as normal to run this. Also, this is more like the corporate walk, since most participants walk. Since I was not seeded, I was somewhere in the middle of the pack & went the gun went off, it took me 1 minute just to be able to move and another 2 minutes to get to the starting line! Therefore, I mostly walked & jogged, with small spurts of actual running & finished with a dismal training time. I had fun & plenty to eat. If not associated with a company or two, you'd starve, otherwise, this was a great flash race, designed to satisfy all those weekend warriors.

Saturday agenda-run for the children 5k

I was committed to this race because it was put on by Premier Running, Soccer & Tri. I am proud to be on their race team & came to represent. Only problem is that I had been tight for nearly a week after the St Anthony fiasco & injury prior to that & my training was curtailed because of that. Worse, I almost didn't make there because the application had no directions. Luckily, God prompted me the night before to discover this & mapquest the address in order to get in the 'ballpark'. I spent about half an hour searching because there were about 5 churches but eventually, I found the host one. I passed up what would have been a fun event, much closer to home (Miracle mile by PRracing) & the one I was sorry I did last year at Metro zoo; both were in close proximity. It had been raining prior to the event, so I was afraid of more of the same during it. Fortunately, it held off & blocked the sun, making for a cooler run. This one had an unforgiving course, with 4 cul-de-sac turnarounds, that brought back the nightmare of the one 180 turnaround that caused me an injury. I sacrificed some time to ensure that would not be repeated. I managed to take the last master slot (3rd) behind Luiz & teammate, David. However, this was timed by accuchip, so much like the WWE, anything can happen. When I went back to jot down the time, I notice someone hand wrote another name, which caused a landslide or avalanche in the results, & I fell to age group. Disponded, I went to recover & change near my car, knowing it takes more time to get to my age group. Fortunately, an experienced person calling the awards recognized the bogus name/result & the correct results were restored (I finished 3rd master). Although attendance was low, the amenities were high & can qualify as a 3 star flash race. Like Arnold, "I'll be back".

Sunday agenda-swim, bike & run triathlon/duathlon.

Put on by multirace.com, this one offered the Olympic distance in both the triathlon & duathlon, plus a sprint triathlon. Y'all know me; I found a way to be involved with both. I set up a duathlon relay team, featuring Nicky in her first 10k & relay, plus was introduced to a new kid cyclist by former partner, Hector, of the team Orca. I also organized a sprint triathlon co-ed relay with Steve, the 3rd leg of the marathon of the Palm beaches marathon relay, & student/friend of his, Jenny, as the swimmer. My tasks were to set the tone for the du team by running a mile sprint, then passing off the cyclist. Once this occurs, my job is done with that team & I must prepare to switch to the tri team role as the anchor leg. I finished a close 2nd in the first leg of the du. I then did a few striders & fartleks with Nicky as cool down for me & a warm up for her. While doing that, I missed the exchange between the swimmer (came in quicker than I expected) & the biker. Once my cyclist came in, I took off. After crossing the finish line, I waited at mile 4 to pace Nicky & broke off at mile 5, with a message for her to maintain that pace (it was excellent).
The du cyclist (1st time on a relay) managed to ride well despite a flat & Nicky ran her 1st 10k in about 40 minutes. Although uncontested, the times by each individual on the du team was great. The tri team had to beat out 6 others in the same category to win the title. On cinco de Mayo, the du team was in 1st place in the series & the tri team was in 2nd. When the dust cleared, both teams held their rightful position at the top! Thank you all for your efforts. Your services will be requested again.

Honorable mention

Mike N won his age group, Luigi competed.