Race Judicata 5K

I figure today's 5K race is the official start of my racing season. I know for many people, the fall races is the end of the season but here in Arizona it is the start. Today's running of Race Judicata was my third running the race. This year the course was different because of construction on the canal. I think it was easier because one steep little hill I remember from last year wasn't included in this years course. Another change to the course created what I think is a very cruel joke which I'll explain later.

We got to the race about 6:10am and there were already people milling around. The weather was perfect compared to previous weeks morning temperatures. I did a 2 mile warm up and felt the tiredness in my legs from my 14 miler the day before. I think while doing a warm up I over analyze because once I start running all twinges were completely gone.

The race wasn't very organized at the start. I heard a guy telling people that the race started around the corner despite the fact that were were all lining up at the START signs. Eventually they moved a START sign to the start and the confusion dissipated. The race started and I began weaving through people. John yelled at me not to weave that there was plenty of time. He's right. It didn't take too long before he ran past me. Soon after a friend came up asked what I was running it in and decided that was a good pace. This friend happened to be an Arizona Supreme Court Judge and I ran with him for half a mile and then he pulled ahead but we finished seconds apart. Thinking back, I wonder if I could have stayed with him if I would have pushed more.

The miles up to 2.8 were uneventful and then the cruel joke was played. As I mentioned earlier, there was construction on the canal changing the route. The end of the route went right past the finish line but you had to keep running and loop down under a bridge, up a hill and then turn into the finish chute. Who makes a course so that you have to run right by the finish line but oh no, you can't finish yet. Jessie, who I looped around to run with after I finished, wanted to just go to the finish line. She was a trooper and kept going on the official race course.

I was 4th female finisher, 3rd in my age group and 20th overall. The top female finisher was 62 (!!!) with a time of 20:31. Sorry to be pessimistic but I think she probably was a miler that the race organizers got mixed up into the 5K runners. Two years ago I saw the race time keepers do the same thing and mix milers in with the 5K. And since they never posted any results at the race itself, I wonder if they didn't post since they were trying to sort it out.

Since I had run 14 miles the day before I didn't expect much. Once running though, I ran fast and strong and although I worried if I went out too fast, I kept up the pace finishing with an official time of 22:00. That is a PR for me! My Garmin said 21:58 and the course wasn't chip timed so I probably had the 21:58 but I will go with the official results. I'm very pleased with the results and my 5K improvement from a year ago.

And for the other members of Team Lazy Bones. John came in 13th overall with a 20:41 and 1st in his age group. Justin ran a 28:21 and Jessie came in with a 39:40. Great job everyone!