My family likes adventures! 5K and more....

Over the past weekend we had our annual family party! What this means, is that for 2 or 3 days we tend to have some amazing feats of athletics, we play an excess of overly competitive yard games, we drink beers and basically roll from meal to meal (we are talking dozens of lobsters, mile high lasagnas, piles of French toast, yeah you get the idea...)

We are a big crowd although we were a few short this year (Miss you Bia and Amy! Hope you can make it next year!) Regardless there were still around 20 crazy people who needed big adventures in which to create appetites for whatever meal was next.

There are quite a few runners in the family and about 10 of us decided to head off to a local 5K to test our mad skillz and try to take all the top prizes. On a side note, I awoke at 4:30 that morning to run 11 miles in the dark and humid night very early morning. Fall marathon season is starting to loom on the horizon and slacking on my "long" run wasn't such a fab option. If I had some hairbrained idea to try to PR the race I might have chosen to move the 11 to another day but seriously- I am in no way, shape or form ready or able to run a good 5K right now! So a few pre race miles happened and they happened well.

Pre race! Still looking clean and fresh..

Did I mention that this was a trail 5K?

The online description was rather ominous "roots, rocks and hills that will leave you gasping for breath..." Oh dear.

At the pre race meeting the race director explained the course turn by turn which only managed to confound all of us more. The basic conclusion was that all of us needed to choose a person to follow, and not each other.

We started with one lap around the track. This was straightforward enough and we all got a nice little push of speed from the flat and bouncy surface (if only that had continued!) the course then wound through a pathway and up a grassy hill. For the first mile it continued in that manner, grassy hill, sideways grassy hill where one leg felt a foot longer than the other, very steep downhill trail, and the (at the end of mile 1) a gigantic mountain. The description was correct- it was a beast!

 

Mile 1: 8:07. A touch off my normal 5K pace!

 

The middle mile was a study in coordination and directional skills, something that I am horribly challenged in. The terrain was all grass with a few rooty paths, quite a few tricky hills, several single track bridges and quite a bit of trying to follow the spray painted arrows (and trying to find someone to follow!)

 

Mile 2: 8:22 At least I was not lost.

 

Around mile 2.25 we finally hit some pavement and the angels sang! Also at that point I saw almost the whole family since it was a place where you could see several parts of the course. Fun! Finally on the road/parking lot I was able to muster a tiny bit of speed.

 

Mile 3: 7:22 Well, that was a bit better!

 

The last .25 was a final lap around the track, I could see Evan about 20 seconds ahead of me (with the lead women, actually) and I knew there was no catching him. I finished in 24:50 which is a far cry from my 5K PR BUT is a Trail 5K PR since I had never done one before. So there!!!

 



Post race, a bit sweaty and smelly!

 

So, before this finishers picture was taken we watched almost everyone finish. Evan and I missed seeing Eric and Doug run in because they were about 30 seconds behind us and we ran a couple laps to cool down. A few minutes behind them Laura and Kathleen ran in together, looking strong. As we waited for the last few of our team to run in we started to wonder where on earth Kate was! I had seen her twice on course and she was sandwiched in right between Doug and Laura/Kathleen. When we saw Bill round the corner to the finish we were actually baffled (no offence Bill! hahah!) as Bill had just re-started running 7 days prior to this event. I began to think that she had broken, become lost or been eaten by a sasquatch. All bad things. Then, right behind Bill she popped up. "RUN KATE" we all yelled "Don't let Bill beat you!" (poor Bill!) She managed to catch him in the homestretch and came thru the finish announcing that she had become terribly lost and had managed (along with 5 other people) to run an extra mile. Damn overachiever! If this had been an important race she would have been bummed but she did not care and figured that she earned more bang for her buck.

Jeff and Katelyn officially won the last place award. They have dominated at yard sports for the last 10 years so this was good payback! (kidding guys, kidding...)



The obligatory horrible face shot

Evan almost immediately curled into the fetal position to await a horrible race induced death. That will happen. I was just glad it wasn't me for a change.

We really finished strong as a group, Evan was 8th, I was 9th (and 3rd woman) Eric and Doug were in the teens and almost everyone else was in it for an AG prize. Kate won for most miles completed.

The race itself wins for having real bathrooms and actual bottles of water at the finish (take note, Old Port Half...) The race was Kelli's Run by the way- all the money raised goes towards a lovely little playground that Kelli's family sponsored after she lost her cancer battle in 2010. Sad stuff but a great cause which we were all happy to contribute to!

The first good choice of the day!

After everyone recovered we did indeed go out for a beer which was delicious! 



I tend to think the 5K may have been an easier choice!

While all of us crazies we off racing the rest of the crazies climbed a huge mountain. OOOFF!!!
As previously mentioned, we all like a good adventure. I am also quite certain that all of us who chose the 5K had an easier, more restful day. (now I feel like a slacker!)



Party time! Annual Beer Geek competition!

After the activities were over we got the party underway. One of the highlights is the Beer Geek competition. This years theme was to find a beer with a name, or description that best described your own personality. (yes, awesome. no, not easy!) To make a long story short my beer was named "Dangerously close to stupid" which is freaking amazing.

A few of the fabulous entries...

And yes, we ate dozens of lobsters and about 6 gallons of ice cream.

We played yard games, took silly pictures and had an awesome little bonfire.

A perfect end to a great day of running around!