A 5k In Florida

To followup on the last post, when I was in Florida last week I ended up doing a 5k.  If you are in MN, then you know how hot its been the last few weeks--with exception to the few cold fronts that have passed thru (one right now).  We had heat index temps of 100 plus, with a little cooling over night.  In FL, 100+ was the norm with little, if any, cooling at night.  On August 17th, when I did the 5k in Clermont, FL, it was no exception.

The race was part of a series--more like training races.  They kept timing, had a lead vehicle, water/Gatorade station, volunteers all over the course, but they didn't post or record finishing times with names.  What I really liked was the way the gave you your time.  They didn't issue race bibs/numbers so I was wondering how they would know who you were when you crossed the line.  During the pre-start announcement, a director held up a large popsicle stick/tongue depressor.  She then explained that when you cross the line, you will have to grab the stick that is being held out for you.  The stick will have your placing on it.  After the bulk of the people finish, you can get your time from one of the timing volunteers and they will check the number on your stick and write the time (on your stick) that matches the number on their results list.  I thought that was a pretty cool system.  Simple, effective, and hard to mess up.  I commented to one of the volunteers after they wrote my time down on how well organized their race was and that I liked the timing stick method.  He said the only time that its hard is when you get a group of people finishing together trying to out run each other at the very end. 

As for my time, it was 19:35, and my stick has #2 on it with 19:35 written next to it.  Yes, I was second overall with a time of 19:35.  Considering the heat and that it was fairly hilly, I was very happy to come in under 20 minutes.  The guy that came in first was a HS track kid looking to get in a race before school starts.  He ran up to the line just seconds before we started and bolted out the first 50 yards in about 3 seconds.  It was like he sprinted to get a lead then held it.  I thought for sure he was going to fade, but he only faded slightly up the hills.  I was about 200 or so yards behind him for about 2.5 miles, then in the last couple of blocks he was out of site and must have turned it on because he finished in the 18:30-18:45 range. 

You know that feeling when are totally soaked from sweat, but don't feel yourself sweating until you stop???  Well, when I first stopped, there was about a 5 second delay, then the sweat just started pouring down from my head.  I was wearing a hat so the visor started streaming sweat off of it too.  After about 5 more minutes, the sweating stopped.  It took me quite a while to catch my breathe and for my HR to calm down all the way too.  I drank and drank and drank, but was still thirsty.  I think I went into the race a little dehydrated so that didn't help. The heat was recockulous... 

As I was heading to my car to get some fresh clothes to change into, I crossed paths with a women who stopped me and asked, "You must me a triathlete?"  I said, "I guess." She replies, "I could tell, you look like one."  I was feeling sort of good about that because I didn't know I had that look.  HOWEVER, I was wearing a Tri-Rochester hat, a Tri-Rochester tech T, and Tri-Rochester tri shorts.  Of course I looked like a tri-geek.  We talked for a few minutes as she explained she moved here with her husband, who is a professional triathlete, Ironman distance.  She said he goes by the nickname "Boji" or "Bokie" I forget which...  I think his real name is something like Marcel Boujan.  I have no idea.    She also said he is currently training with and coaching Nina Craft.  Really...?  If you are making things up,  that kind of a BIG name to be throwing around.  Anyway, if anyone knows who I am talking about, let me know. You never know when someone is telling stories.