Bashful Ostrich 5K Race Report

Greg and I did the Bashful Ostrich 5K race on Memorial Day morning. It is a race that benefits survivors of sexual abuse. Smallish race with a new location this year - Scarlett Oaks - where Greg did autocross in his Focus... so it already had a "speedy" feel. It was just in the parking lot surrounding the campus of Great Oaks. Kinda boring, if you ask me, but it was flat at least.

The sun came out while we were there waiting to start, and I didn't have my sunglasses. Nor did I remember my watch. My goal was to run sub 10:00 pace (as in 9:59 would be just fine) since I ran my first 5K of the Duathlon at 10:07 pace. Greg was trying to beat his 25 minute something time from the Duathlon. In short, Greg met his goal. I did not.

My first mile was 10:12, and of course I had no idea when that first mile was coming since I didn't have my watch. Who knew I was so dependent on a watch? I knew when I heard the guy call out the time that I wasn't going to be able to pick it up any to reach my goal. I was already not feeling great– the sun was beating down and I was getting really hot for some reason. But I kept telling myself it was a race and I'd be mad later if I didn't race it. So I pushed on.

Picked off some people who kept walking then running. Then, after the 2 mile water stop (never heard the time called here) where I dumped one cup on my head and one in my mouth, I was passed by the lead race-walker. That's right, a very strong man race-walking passed my slow butt.

I thought about catching the race walker, but I just couldn't. Then I came to a part of the course where you could see the finish line and I picked it up, only to realize I had to pass it and do another small loop before it was all over. Ug. So I slowed back down and mourned the energy I just wasted, possibly ruining a strong finish. I picked off another person and my head was really really getting hot. I turned the last corner and Greg was there to run me in. I told him, "HOT". But thanks to him encouraging me and running just a bit in front of me, pulling me along, I was able to at least finish strong and look like I had actually ran a race.

So my official disappointing time was 32:43, a 10:33 pace. Oh well. Better next time.
Greg's time was 24:43!!!! A 7:59 pace. He PR'd we decided, because he can't remember his best 5K.