Our race choices were the Rudolph's Red Nose Run 5k in Nashville on Friday night, or the Jingle Bell Jog 5k in Clarksville on Saturday night. Both took place before a Christmas parade. If you know both of us, you know that it didn't take long for us to decide on doing the double. We went ahead a signed up for both. Neither of us have ever run two days in a row, let alone at 5k sprint pace. I've never seen a Christmas parade, so I was excited to see what those were all about.
I jetted out of work on Friday and managed to get to LP Field in Nashville about 30 minutes before the start of the Rudolph run. Keith had been off since lunch, but somehow got there late. And when I say late, I mean less than 10 minutes before the start. Kaylee picked up our packets which helped everyone get ready. I got in a few minutes warm-up before helping Keith get ready. While he was changing, Misty pinned his number and I put his timing chip on his shoe. We ran to the start line and actually got a decent starting spot. We were probably top 200 out of 1560 starters.
All of us were crammed in this tiny chute as the start time approached. I was expecting the typical "thanks for coming, don't die" speech from the promoter, but there was none of that. Just the sound of a gunshot and then all hell broke loose as we started running toward downtown. We had no idea where the course went, if it was hilly or where the finish line was. We just went for it. Keith was doing his typical crazy man run, weaving in and out of the slower people. I started way too hard and dropped Keith in the first mile. I wanted to hang onto that front group that always forms early in the race. The one I always watch slowly creep away. I could see the front pack ahead and the gap was already forming as we descended 2nd Ave. I was dangling on the back of the group as we rounded the corner onto Broadway. I knew Broadway is uphill, but I didn't think we would do the whole climb. It was a crushing blow mentally when you made the turn and saw the cones going all the way up the hill. They looked like they went on forever into the sky. I lost the group on the climb and was really feeling that fast start with little warm-up. It felt like my ribs were imploding.
I was so glad to make the turnaround and start going down again. It was so cool to go out and back because you got to see the others behind you. For the next mile it was 5-deep of runners going the opposite way. So cool to see that many people out on a cold night. Running under the lights in Nashville was pretty sweet too, not to mention the tons of people that had lined the course in preparation for the parade. It was like Athens Twilight on foot! The climb back up 2nd Ave was brutal. I paced off of a chick in front of me. She provided me with a nice pace all the way to the end. I kind of felt guilty for outsprinting her at the finish. That last half mile around LP Field seemed to take forever. Especially when you get your doors blown off by a kid that couldn't have been more than 11 years old. That's why running is so cool. You never know who is going to kick your ass.
I finished with a time of 22:57, good enough for 6th in the 20-24 class and 79th overall. Keith was right behind me with a 24:03, taking 12th in the 30-34 class. My sister Dina also did the run, finishing in 31:54. Kaylee had one of her better runs, clocking a 46:25.
We were treated to Papa John's pizza and some bagels after the race. There was just enough time to get changed into some warm clothes before catching the parade. It was pretty cool, complete with crazy clowns, cartoon characters I've never heard of, and some big floats. There were quite a lot of spectators too. We had a hard time getting a front row spot to watch.
We were all greeted with soreness on Saturday morning. Kaylee was the most sore, but I managed to talk her into running again too. Even Adam "Mean Joe" Queen decided to lace up his shoes for a little 5k action. The mountain bikers were again represented well at a Clarksville run, with Andrew Leonard and Rick Zimmer also in attendance. I got in a better warm-up for this one. It was freaking cold on the start line. About 40 degrees with a 20+ mph North wind. I saw one of my neighbors on the start line. Got to talk to her for a second before we started on another tough course. Keith jumped out front early, while Adam and I started a bit more conservatively. I cranked it up on the first climb, but again was just off the lead group. I have been in no-man's land between groups at almost every 5k I have done. I tried so hard to get on, but only caught stragglers. I really felt good as we coursed our way through the campus of Austin Peay State University, evening taking a lap on their track as part of our course.
I was hurting in the last mile. There were two really long, hard climbs to get you back to the finish. I had been with a guy who looked young enough to be in my class, but he got away on the first climb. It was again one of the women that I hooked onto and paced off of to the finish. I knocked out a 21:43. That was a much better time than I dreamed I could do on that hard of a course, especially the day after doing another 5k. I was a bit disappointed to find out that the guy I had been with in that last mile was the winner of my class and that I was 2nd by a mere 12 seconds. So close!
Keith finished 3rd in his class with a 22:53. The surprise of the day was Adam taking 4th with a 23:01! That is freaking awesome for someone who has run only once in the last 10 years! Adam is a real beast. He can push himself farther than anyone I know. Kaylee ran a 44:23, bettering her personal best 5k time by almost 2 minutes! I can't believe we all did so well on the second day of racing! Keith had a bunch of pics from both 5ks, but somehow managed to delete them before putting them on his computer. We had a nice pic of he and I getting our medals. That was the first time we both medaled at a race.
We all went out for some pizza and then watched the parade. I was impressed by how nice the Clarksville parade was. There were lots of spectators and lots of participants with very nice floats. I was reminded that we are indeed in Tennessee when Santa came by on an ATV.
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