Run for the Ribbon

I got up this morning and it was raining. No surprise. We got an early start, dropped my wife off, she had to work today, and me and my daughter went off to the Run for the Ribbon race 5K in Warren. It was part of the Make a difference day thingie. It didnt start till 10 and we got there shortly after 8. So sat in car and waited while they got set up. The sign up said at the Amphitheater but the registration was in pavillon on other side of hill. I dropped off my donation, got my shirt, and looked at a map of the course.

I stood around talking to this guy that ran it last year (I hadnt done it before) and he told me last it was long. The course ran around this park that had baseball and soccer field thru it and then out in to town looping back for a down hill finish near the amphitheater. So to add to the crowds there were soccer games going on, and other people showing up for leaf raking, something to do with the make difference day, that may of actually been trying to make a difference.

Miracously, the skys cleared up shortly before the race. I knew the forecast so I wasnt expecting any sun for the race. We got started just about on time. It was sort of a crowded start, the starter really needed a mega phonee cause I wasnt sure we were about to start till a air gun or something went off. I did the lap around the park, waved to my daughter who had walked to other side of park. We then left the park going up about the only real hill in the race. I thought it was a tough course for some reason, probably cause I wasnt has fast has I wanted to be. It did have a quite a few turns in it. I ended up passing a 4 or 5 people the last mile or so. I have no idea what my splits were, no mile markers. They did have course marked well enough, and course had just enough traffic control. I got near the end came down the big hill and got in just under 25, 24:58 I believe. Not close to my best but was pretty good for today. i was actually 27th out of 91 in the 5K. I guess the crowd at the start was an illusion. Plus all the mile walkers might of made it seem worse.

Then I ran into a problem. I couldnt find my daughter. She had the car key so I couldnt get a dry shirt on. I got some water and a pastry and kept looking around for her. She had been walking around with a friend of hers who lived near the park before race. After a while I was getting worried, she's very small and pregnant and doesnt need to be wandering off. I went for a short run part way around park and didnt see her among the soccer sidelines. She's been to alot of races with me and this was not like her. I was starting to get worried about her, I wanted to make sure she was alright. Then I was going to kill her.

So I went back near finish and the awards ceremony hoping she showed up soon. I figured in my age group I had no chance, especially since they did 10 year age groups at this race, 40-49. Of course I only mention that cause I took home the third place in age group medal. So other then losing my daughter, standing around in cold for over an hour it went pretty well. Right after the awards were over I asked someone I knew if I could borrow a phone. I was able to reach, she was on other side of park on some swings. I dont know what she was thinking, how long does she think it takes me to run a 5K? She said I didnt say how long it was so maybe she was thinking I was doing another marathon. Overall I guess it was a good run, just wish I had run a little faster but real happy to get a AG award. Now does anyone want a daughter???