The FurBabies couldn't wait to cheer on our team, Fried Kickin', at this year's ATC Ekiden Team Relay at Piedmont Park. I find it hard to believe that this is the very first team relay I have ever participated in. Honestly? How is that? Oh, yeah...I'm an introvert. That's probably why. Regardless of the mass of people, the loud music, and the confusion of the event, this introvert had a great time and truly enjoyed participating on a team for the first time in years!
As the runner of the last leg, I had plenty of time to hang out before racing one full lap around the perimeter of Piedmont Park. Knowing I'd not had the best race in Monday's 10K, I was anxious to force some speed out of my legs....the speed that eluded me in that race. I was completely motivated by the GERMinator's stellar performance in the 3rd leg of the race and took my time to get in a wholehearted, full-fledged warm-up, complete with dynamic stretching to boot!Now, when I suggested that I run the last leg of the race, I was thinking in terms of sheer speed. I was technically the fastest on our team of five, so I thought that being the anchor would be the best idea. Well, in terms of speed alone, I suppose I was right. However, in terms of the level of enjoyment
this would mean for me, I was dead wrong.
Granted, this terrain was nothing new for me. This entire race constituted about 1/3 of my weekly long runs when I first moved to Atlanta. I'd run the 4 miles to the Park from our home, run a few laps around the active oval, do a lap around the park for another 3.4, and then run home. Each week there was something different to look at....from the women in the skimpy bikinis doing photo shoots in front of the Atlanta skyline to the women doing the "walk of shame" home from the W many Sunday mornings. I knew every inch of this course....each uphill (all of Mile 1) and each downhill (all of Mile 2).
However, one caveat that I did not think about as far as team relays on a circular course go: I'd be one of the LAST people out there. All alone. Me. Myself and I. And my how lonely it was, too. From the time I left the gates of Piedmont Park and turned west on 10th Street, I did not see another soul in front of me (or have another soul pass me) until I was approaching the 2nd mile marker. I tell my runners again and again how hard it is to race when you get strung out...how you'll feel like you're working so much harder than you actually are...that they should NEVER get strung out. Well, I was strung out to the max. I was able to push myself, though not as hard as I could have had I been running with a group, of course. When I finally caught sight of some other runners....and with blue sashes (our age group) nonetheless....I was able to have enough left in my tank to take them down one at a time. In that last mile I caught 7 other teams, some blue sashes, some not, and only got passed once, right at the end (stupid 20 something young girls).All in all, I'd say the lower temperatures (60s) and humidity (nil) made a huge difference between that Monday 10K and this race. And 7-1 in the passing department fed my fire just enough that the GERMinator and I went home and signed up for another race this coming weekend. The Locomotive 15K. Yes, we have sincerely lost our minds.
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| A great day in the park! |
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