Turkey Trot 5K Race Report

(It has been a month since this race. Nothing makes that more obvious than the fact that it's a turkey trot, right? Oh well, better late than never.)

A crisp morning dawns and a brilliant sun climbs in the sky. Living in a place where winter clouds drip anything ranging from leaky faucet to fire hose, I've come to appreciate a sunny race day, especially in November. This is my fifth turkey trot...and my fifth one on a sunny day. I wish more races had the same good weather fortune this one does.

Matt and I begin our warmup. The temperature is hovering right at the freezing mark and I've got a balaclava over my mouth. My lungs and asthma handle training runs at whatever temperature, but racing requires a bit more care. After almost three miles of warmup, my longest ever, we're ready to go. We head back to the car to finalize our outfits, hit the bathroom, and are ready to start.

I line up next to a woman with two small children, one of which is in a jogging stroller. I can tell by her jeans and parka that she's lined up well ahead of where she should be. Since this race start is chaotic already, I lean over to her and suggest she move back a little so she's not trampled, careful to stress that this is for her own safety, not because I'm trying to be a jerk. She insists she wants to be in the starting photo. Umm...okay. The race director sneaks through the crowd and mentions the same to her. She finally listens and tucks in next to a tree.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

With a group countdown, my race begins. People weave all over the place and I resist the urge to do the same. Saving some energy here and remaining relaxed seems to help. Within a few blocks, the pack has thinned considerably and I charge up the hill, following the cloud of frozen breath.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

Ever since the fall I took on Sunday's trail run, my whole body had been angry at me. Today isn't going to be a PR day, let's just run a strong race, I coach myself. I had turned off the auto-lap feature and when I hear other watches beeping with no mile marker signs in sight, I realize there won't be mile splits today. When I hear someone's watch beep, I glance down at mine. First mile in 7:00-ish?

For me and the 5K, it is essential that I find a racing buddy. I spot a ponytail up ahead and glue myself to her. Soon, I find that her pace feels too easy and I zoom past her, looking for my next buddy. I soon find him, the man in the black beanie, tank top, and neon yellow shorts.

Now running alongside the bay and marina, I pull ahead but hear his breathing right behind me. Sometimes the best way to motivate me to go faster is a noisy person in my bubble of personal space. I pick up the pace, he comes with me. I spot Matt as he heads back in my direction. He's in third place with his friend Jorge not far behind him. Shortly after, I realize I'm in fifth place myself. Huh. That's a surprise, I'm lucky if I break top 10.

Just as I approach the lonely turn around cone before mile 2, a seafood truck approaches. It doesn't appear he's going to stop. He arrives at the traffic cone just as I do and I come to an abrupt stop as I squeeze between the bumper and cone. A course monitor rushes up behind me from his post at a nearby intersection. The distraction throws me off for a few seconds, but I feel my pace quicken as we make up time on a slight downhill.

Now just a few steps ahead of me is my racing buddy. I zero in on his hat and the rest of the world melts away. Yes, this race is chaotic and by far the largest local 5K, but I enjoy having different buddies each time I run. I never know who it will be and I never would have guessed he would be the one to help me push the pace. Last year, my racing buddy was eight years old. The year before that it was one of the college cross country runners. Out of a thousand runners, it really could be anyone.

I slow a little to make the final turn and cross the train tracks and he pulls away a little. I think back to the year the XC runner out-kicked me and want to make sure that doesn't happen again. Now with just half a mile to go, I can barely make out the finish line. My legs, hips, and lungs are on fire. It feels like my whole body is being turned inside out. Must. catch. buddy.

Two more blocks. One more. I'm bashing myself against that red line and refuse to stop before I get there. Each step becomes increasingly more painful. I scan the finish area for a clock and can't find one. In the final block, on a slight incline, I sneak by three people, my buddy included. I flash a brief smile at Yoon and cross the finish line.

Without a finish clock to stare at on my way in, I'm genuinely surprised by my finish time.

That's Bryan in the neon yellow shorts behind me. Y. Kim SRRC photo.

21:22
6:53/mi.
5th lady
55th of 1001 runners

Did I just PR? Holy crap. Happy dance!! I make it through the tag line and feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see the man in the yellow shorts and black beanie. We introduce ourselves and I learn his name is Bryan. We thank the other for the company and just as a cold air coughing fit sets in, he disappears into the crowd. I grab a cup of water and start a cool down mile with Adam and Matt. I hold a warm hand over my mouth as I attempt to calm my irritated throat and lungs. Within a few minutes, the coughing fit tapers off and my lungs relax.

My thoughts drift back to the race, wondering what I can do differently next time to produce similar results. For me, a larger race with an unknown field is key. What a perfect way to start my Thanksgiving holiday! Then my number was called and I won a free pie! Sweeeet!

Matt ran a new PR as well, finishing in 17:11, a 5:38/mi. Jorge edged him out at the last minute and he came in 4th place.

Y. Kim, SRRC photo.

In the spirit of full disclosure, the course may have been a tiny bit on the short side. My Garmin registered 3.09 miles. Some of the buildings lining the course block out signal on my training runs, so if it's short, it's by the tiniest of margins. Since last year's too long course netted a similar pace (but slower time 22:11), I'm counting this year's run as my PR. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do next summer! I'll have to make sure at least one has a larger field because that really helps me push the pace.