Harvest Moon Run 2010

This was my first year doing this race…my first night race…and my first race that including any trail running. I liked the first two…the trail running kinda bites. That was the mile that did me in and it was the first one.



But let me backtrack. For the last year or so I’ve been thinking my best 5K time was 28:05…that was during my first summer running 3 summers ago. And I’ve been berating myself ever since that I couldn’t beat it into the ground…that I couldn’t even come close again…whatever. So yesterday..I pulled up the results from that race…which I did in Wisconsin Dells in HERE. See that…all this time I’ve thought it was 28:05 when in fact it was a minute slower…and I’ve PR’d at least once since then at my 5K this last spring at 28:54. Duh Duh Duh…small wonder I was having a hard time hitting that time again since I never have…HA! So last night…my Garmin time which is what I go by..was 28:28…clock time was 28:34. Either way I did PR…go me. I will get it down under 28 minutes..one of these days. It would have happened last night without the trail running……didn’t like that one bit…it was getting dark…the trail wasn’t lit…and with the rain from last night…blah..anyways.


Onto the good stuff. I left before Skip to get there around 5:30. My little brother Paul..ever the on time guy..had been there for about 20 minutes already and had picked up our packets. The race was to start at 6:30 with a children's run at 6 pm. I put on my bib and helped Paul with his. Bruce got there a bit later but still had plenty of time to hit the bathroom and whatnot.


Tinky did the children's race. I didn’t think she would because she can be funny about that sort of thing..but at the last minute changed her mind. Here she is running the quarter mile in her pajamas. Finishing sans one shoe because they kept falling off. She got a ribbon and rocked her race! So proud..says she’s going to win next time.


Tinky running it in.

Finishing..minus one shoe but done!

My little racer girl!

I had to pee again..and the line for the bathroom as usual was crazy long. I wanted to get a little running in so that I was starting warm so I ran to the far parking lot and peed there…suck it bathroom lines…give me a tree any day. I got back to the start line with about a minute to spare and muscled my way through till I found Bruce and Paul. Vincent was supposed to pace me my last mile but I told him to go ahead and run with his uncles….he wasn’t racing..just hanging with them and keeping them motivated. He told me he’d find me later…which he did..when I had about ¾ mile left.

Bruce, Paul and I before.

So the gun goes off..we head out. At first Bruce was staying with me but I told him to go back..he’s just not ready for that yet. He finally listened and after that I was on my own. We hit the trail after maybe a half mile. This SUCKED! I have NEVER run on trails before..this wasn’t even gravel…it was a rooted, wet..ugly mess. First mile split 9:34. The rest of the race was kinda blurry. There was one water station which was good because I was crazy thirsty and forgot to bring cough drops. Second mile split was 9:18. Like I said..V caught up with me not long after that. We’ve been in a number of the same races..but have never finished together…he’s so much faster. But he took my Garmin and said “Lets go Mama”. I was in no mood to go…but it was so cool to have him with me. Last mile split was 9 flat…thanks V! We finished strong…flying past a number of people at the end. It was good…I almost puked.

Done 28:28

After finding Skip I told V we needed to go back and find Bruce and Paul. He took off and I started heading back. I could see them coming in the distance…my boy..and my brothers. I didn’t run them in..V did. I settled for screaming at them and watching the clock. Bruce finished 31:29 for a 10:08 pace. Paul finished 31:33 for a 10:10 pace. Awesome…I was so proud of them both. My parents came to watch and were thrilled to watch their 3 children cross the finish line of the same race. My mom told me how proud she was of me for getting them to do that…I told her to shut up or she was next. Now keep in mind…that neither of them had EVER done distance running before this. We started at the end of June meeting Sunday mornings…how incredible is that?

Sweaty and Done!

Amy from my first group of newbies also ran this race…which was so cool! After we got my brothers in..V went back AGAIN to find Amy and her friend. I caught them not too terrible far from the finish and did run them in.


This was such an amazing night! To see my brothers finish…PR for myself..finish a race with V….and run Amy in. I was on cloud 9. That’s what it’s about for me…at least a huge part of it…finding the person…or people…that need to do something different..something that they think they can’t do…something for themselves….show them how...be there for every step..and see the end result…so cool…so very very cool.

And in the words of the good book..


“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”


Philippians 4:13


Have a great day folks!