Deer Park Goblin Gallop "Hardware" Race Report
Yes, don't choke on that bagel you're eating! You read that right: Hardware!
I placed 2nd in the 35-39 age group at this morning's Goblin Gallop in Deer Park with a watch time of 29:07.25! (Shhh ... don't tell anyone, though, that there were only two competitors!)
However, a trophy is a trophy! Too bad everyone else went to the Langham Creek YMCA or the downtown Pumpkin Run events.
Actually the first place age group finisher and I could have competed in the Corporate Challenge that they had; however, I don't think our times would have placed. Steve Schroeder finished first with a PR-setting time of 18:49. We both work for different divisions of the Fortune 15 healthcare company, McKesson. (Steve was actually without his teammate, Lance Collins. Lance's wife delivered their second child two days ago. Congratulations on all counts!)
I ran pretty well. I was pleased. The weather conditions were excellent (although I saw that the temperatures tomorrow may be a little bit warmer for the Christopher's Run 5K).
My splits looked like this:
Mile 1 -- 9:07.08
Mile 2 -- 9:27.41 (18:34.49 - 9:17/mile)
Mile 3 -- 9:42.85
Last .1 -- 49.91
Final -- 29:07.25 - 9:24/mile
It was my 132nd career event and 52nd for 2005. (133/53 if I count the Bear Creek 20K.)
It was also the 31st Texas city that I've run an event in. (I really want to get to 100 one day!)
It was also the 4th fastest of 66 career 5Ks (and we are early yet in the racing season)!
The event mileage will also be the second largest of any month with 5 weekends in October.
This course is as flat as can be - just like the course earlier this fall in Alvin. City streets. Intersections were well-monitored and major streets were coned off from traffic. I think there was two water stops on the course (maybe one ... I didn't stop). Both mile markers had somebody there calling out splits.
A very well-run event with a simple white T-shirt and logo in the upper left corner (with no advertising). Lots of door prices and awards. :)
I felt real good through mile 1. I knew that I was pushing the upper limit a little bit; however, I really could feel myself back off and then go again - even if it was just for 5-10 seconds. I didn't really race anybody here, but I had one older gentleman cut in front of me on the second turn of the course.
Passing mile 1, I heard the timer call "9:05" but I didn't go, "Oh no, I might be going too fast." I just tried to keep on hammering it. I started to feel my legs be challenged a little bit; however, I got a little motivation as I turned on to 13th St. (the back part of the course). I actually was able to reel in a couple of runners.
One young man, who was in his 20s (remember, I'm 38), had a Longhorns pullover on and I passed him. (Immediately, I thought about Cassie and the orange that I wear that fires her up. Well, it is the UT orange that fires me up!) After I passed him, he started to mount a little bit of a challenge, but I was able to hold him off as we turned left down, yes, Meadowlark Lane.
I passed the 2-mile point in 18:35 and then I tried to keep pushing knowing that I had an outside shot of being in the 28's. I knew that a couple of guys didn't have a shot of catching me, but as I had turned left onto "X" Street I couldn't believe my eyes. There was this little girl, much shorter than Waverly, who was walking!! I didn't slow down enough for me to see if she really had a 5K bib number on!
After I had made a right turn on to Luenla and before I made the last right back to East San Augustine, I heard this woman almost whoop and holler! I thought it might had been the girl's Mom and she was all of a sudden pacing her. She did this at least twice and then right at the mile 3 marker, and before the last .1 of a mile, she passed me and might have slipped in under 29 minutes.
So did I know that I was winning hardware? Yes. The event used a card system at the finish. So I got something like #71 and I walked it inside. One of the young volunteers asked what age group I was in and I just told her that I was 38. She turned the page and the only other person's name on there was Steve's!
Jose Lara and Francisco Perez took first in the overall and Masters for the men. Danielle Venable and Bonnie Jo Barron went first in the same for the women.
After the race and while watching the kids 1-mile event, Steve and I talked with former HARRA president John Phillips, Bonnie Jo and her Mom, Bertie Jo Moore (who is back racing again after a long injury). If they're not at the Christopher's 5K Run tomorrow, be sure that they'll probably be at Run with the Saints 5K next weekend. (Bonnie Jo and her Mom do a LOT of 5k's. They're super nice people.)
Best line of the morning went to Jake Tonge who was responding to Phillips as he was asking Tonge how he did. Jake said, "I didn't have it today. But I had a PR for today!"
The race was put on by the Parks & Recreation Department of Deer Park and Steve indicated that they have a Fourth of July event that is run on the exact same course.
I placed 2nd in the 35-39 age group at this morning's Goblin Gallop in Deer Park with a watch time of 29:07.25! (Shhh ... don't tell anyone, though, that there were only two competitors!)
However, a trophy is a trophy! Too bad everyone else went to the Langham Creek YMCA or the downtown Pumpkin Run events.
Actually the first place age group finisher and I could have competed in the Corporate Challenge that they had; however, I don't think our times would have placed. Steve Schroeder finished first with a PR-setting time of 18:49. We both work for different divisions of the Fortune 15 healthcare company, McKesson. (Steve was actually without his teammate, Lance Collins. Lance's wife delivered their second child two days ago. Congratulations on all counts!)
I ran pretty well. I was pleased. The weather conditions were excellent (although I saw that the temperatures tomorrow may be a little bit warmer for the Christopher's Run 5K).
My splits looked like this:
Mile 1 -- 9:07.08
Mile 2 -- 9:27.41 (18:34.49 - 9:17/mile)
Mile 3 -- 9:42.85
Last .1 -- 49.91
Final -- 29:07.25 - 9:24/mile
It was my 132nd career event and 52nd for 2005. (133/53 if I count the Bear Creek 20K.)
It was also the 31st Texas city that I've run an event in. (I really want to get to 100 one day!)
It was also the 4th fastest of 66 career 5Ks (and we are early yet in the racing season)!
The event mileage will also be the second largest of any month with 5 weekends in October.
This course is as flat as can be - just like the course earlier this fall in Alvin. City streets. Intersections were well-monitored and major streets were coned off from traffic. I think there was two water stops on the course (maybe one ... I didn't stop). Both mile markers had somebody there calling out splits.
A very well-run event with a simple white T-shirt and logo in the upper left corner (with no advertising). Lots of door prices and awards. :)
I felt real good through mile 1. I knew that I was pushing the upper limit a little bit; however, I really could feel myself back off and then go again - even if it was just for 5-10 seconds. I didn't really race anybody here, but I had one older gentleman cut in front of me on the second turn of the course.
Passing mile 1, I heard the timer call "9:05" but I didn't go, "Oh no, I might be going too fast." I just tried to keep on hammering it. I started to feel my legs be challenged a little bit; however, I got a little motivation as I turned on to 13th St. (the back part of the course). I actually was able to reel in a couple of runners.
One young man, who was in his 20s (remember, I'm 38), had a Longhorns pullover on and I passed him. (Immediately, I thought about Cassie and the orange that I wear that fires her up. Well, it is the UT orange that fires me up!) After I passed him, he started to mount a little bit of a challenge, but I was able to hold him off as we turned left down, yes, Meadowlark Lane.
I passed the 2-mile point in 18:35 and then I tried to keep pushing knowing that I had an outside shot of being in the 28's. I knew that a couple of guys didn't have a shot of catching me, but as I had turned left onto "X" Street I couldn't believe my eyes. There was this little girl, much shorter than Waverly, who was walking!! I didn't slow down enough for me to see if she really had a 5K bib number on!
After I had made a right turn on to Luenla and before I made the last right back to East San Augustine, I heard this woman almost whoop and holler! I thought it might had been the girl's Mom and she was all of a sudden pacing her. She did this at least twice and then right at the mile 3 marker, and before the last .1 of a mile, she passed me and might have slipped in under 29 minutes.
So did I know that I was winning hardware? Yes. The event used a card system at the finish. So I got something like #71 and I walked it inside. One of the young volunteers asked what age group I was in and I just told her that I was 38. She turned the page and the only other person's name on there was Steve's!
Jose Lara and Francisco Perez took first in the overall and Masters for the men. Danielle Venable and Bonnie Jo Barron went first in the same for the women.
After the race and while watching the kids 1-mile event, Steve and I talked with former HARRA president John Phillips, Bonnie Jo and her Mom, Bertie Jo Moore (who is back racing again after a long injury). If they're not at the Christopher's 5K Run tomorrow, be sure that they'll probably be at Run with the Saints 5K next weekend. (Bonnie Jo and her Mom do a LOT of 5k's. They're super nice people.)
Best line of the morning went to Jake Tonge who was responding to Phillips as he was asking Tonge how he did. Jake said, "I didn't have it today. But I had a PR for today!"
The race was put on by the Parks & Recreation Department of Deer Park and Steve indicated that they have a Fourth of July event that is run on the exact same course.
posted by WalkSports.com | 1:30 PM
6 Comments:
Nice 5K Jon. I predict a 4:45 PR in New York. How's that?
Vic,
Thanks. It was a good run for me. A PR will be tough in NYC.
I put Tergat will get closer to the world record then I will to my PR! lol
Charlie Rodriguez's PR is in Austin and I think that it is like 3:48. He ran NYC last year in 4:30.
If I average an 11-minute mile the entire way, that's a 4:48. If I do 11-minute miles the front half and 12 the back half, that's 5:01 and change.
When I turned in my form, I predicted 5:30. Don't get me wrong. I hope I do way better than that, but I'll take a good solid running effort - and the time will take care of itself.
Jon
Sub 30=awesome run Jon!! Way to go! Hardware!!! Woot!
hardware = sweet
nice run
Woohoo Jon! I got an age group trophy at the St. John's Reindeer Run last year -- I think there were only 3 in my age group -- but a trophy is TOTALLY a trophy and I enjoyed it. I put it on my desk at work. ;)
Way to go, Jon!!!!
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