Run Away With Cirque du Soleil 5K - Race Report

When Kylie and I registered for the race, we'd envisioned a lovely family morning. Dads would hang with the kids and enjoy all of the fun activities (face painting, circus school, etc.), we would run the 5K, and then we'd all go out and enjoy a lovely, fattening, delicious breakfast.

Then reality hit.

Turned out Kylie's oldest had t-ball pictures at the very same time as the race and Martin ended up having to take a last minute business trip. Such is life, right?

I awoke on Saturday morning to the worst weather imaginable. 50 degree temps, with 25 MPH sustained winds and 40+ MPH gusts. Ugh. I was not hopeful. Kylie and I arrived early, picked up our packets, and then got back in the car to wait. It was that icky.

We eventually made it into the facility, where we saw all manner of creepy Cirque characters. Finally, the race started. Lovely course - a few small hills, paved roads, closed to traffic. The only negative was that it was an out and back course so we were only permitted to run on one side. Normally, that is fine but there were a number of morons who had jogging strollers or were walking side-by-side (holding hands! Really?!!?). It required a lot of navigating.

Kylie, despite being sick, left me in the dust about 100 yards into the race.** I managed to keep a strong, steady pace for the 1st half. After the turnaround, I started playing mental games. I wasn't physically tired but my mind wanted to give up. I told myself, I'll run to the 2 mile mark, then walk. OK, I'll run to the 2.5 mile mark and then walk. OK, I'll run til the end of this song and then walk, etc. I didn't end up walking (except for a few brief moments so I could take off my pullover) and pushed hard at the end.

My official finish time was 36:00! That's 2:45 off my PR!!

**Kylie, of course, finished around the 32:00 mark. Sickness? What sickness?