I forgot to mention earlier this week that I signed up for yet ANOTHER 5K, which took place this morning. This race was very well-organized by the Ann's Hope Foundation, which is a non-profit organization promoting melanoma research and awareness. Once again, my mom came with me and took photos and video.
Cool temperatures set the stage for a jackrabbit start -- I tried to keep the pace no faster than 6:30 to save some energy for the finish. My GPS measured the first mile in 6:34, though I didn't reach the 1-mile marker until about 6:50.
At the turnaround point, I counted the oncoming runners and determined that I was in 25th place. My second mile was about 7:00. With about a mile to go, I passed three runners, though a quick look back showed another runner gaining on me. He passed me with about a quarter mile to go.
Approaching the finish, I considered a final sprint to re-take the position I had lost. He noticed me surging towards him, and that's what I learned he had plenty left in the tank as well. He came in three seconds ahead of me, but I still managed a new personal best with a time of 21:39.
In Lake Geneva, I would have won my age group had I been two months older, but today, I was happy to be in the male 25-29 group. With everyone in front of me either too young, too old, or too female, I managed top honors for my age group. The medal shows "1st PLACE" on the front. The back of it clarifies that it's just for the age group. In any case, it's the first time I've ever won my age group, and it's quite a thrill.
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