This is my first blog in a week. My wife says I'm on hiatus. I say I'm in recovery mode. Recovering from training with my friends and not spending time with Susan. I'm putting a little extra in the time-together bank ahead of the start of my Ironman Training on the 19th.
The 2011 Virginia-Highland Summerfest 5K and Art Festival was today, Saturday, June 4th. Susan always likes this festival and I tolerate it. This time I made sure to smile a lot and not mope around like my usual self. Read on for details of my almost second unselfish act. Disclaimer: My wife reads these before I publish them.
Susan and I and our friend Eileen arrived for the race at around 7:10am. We were early and got a great parking spot. We headed to the registration area, after a brief stop at the port-a-potties. Registration was already buzzing. We picked up our numbers and shirts, stood around for a few minutes, and took some pictures. The shirts are light cotton with the logo in yellow and teal text. The starting line was only 100 yards away.
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| Registration (number and t-shirt pickup) |
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| T-Shirt |
I had previously checked out the course on-line and even created my own mapmyrun map. The course seemed different than what I expected. I later review the USATF map to find that only the start was different. The course was hilly, as I had been previous warned, and covered for the most part by a canopy of large oak trees.
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| The tail end of the race |
The start was a bit hap-hazard with the runners unable to hear the race director and there were strollers at the front of the crowd. The
Pease brothers were also in attendance. Their rig was not a problem. I only saw them at the start and the turn-around. They were ahead of me.
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| Dude with 4 dogs |
The race started and the estimated 1100 to 1200 runners and walkers were off right at 8:00am. The temperature was still relatively cool. It wouldn't last! I finished the race in a time of 19:44. I was the 14th male overall to finish and 1st in my age-group. I'm pretty sure I got chicked - twice. After I finished I filled out my time card and headed backward along the course. This is where my second unselfish act almost took place. I had planned to run along with Susan and Eileen to the finish. What a treat for them! I walked about 1/2 mile along the course to the registration area where I waited for them to pass by. After I'd waited about 15 minutes I realized that I must have missed them. I trotted on back to the finish area where I found Susan waiting. Eileen had gone to drop something off at the car. Apparently, as I was running, they saw a garage sale sign and elected to forgo the race in lieu of some roadside bargains.
After the race I rinsed the sweat off of myself with a 2 gallon jug of soapy water I brought from home. After a quick change in my mobile dressing room (the car) we headed to the awards presentation just a few blocks away. If I could summarize the Virginia-Highland Summerfest 5K race in just one word it would have to be - disappointing. Good for them!
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| A sidewalk shower |
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| Award presentation |
After receiving my award. We checked out all the artwork, food vendors, and old homes. Susan bought some coffee mugs and earrings. Eileen got an antique framed picture.
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| One of the many artist booths |
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| One of the many cool looking older homes |
As the morning wore on we decided to eat inside. Murphy's was an obvious choice.
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| Susan and Eileen outside of Murphy's |
After Murphy's we went to Green's Beverages on Ponce De Leon Avenue in Atlanta for some really inexpensive good bottles of wine. Sorry, no pictures!
After Green's, our last stop was
Podium Multisport on Zonolite Place. We picked up a few things, petted the store mascot, and chatted with Matt and his girlfriend. Matt did the fitting for my QR CD0.1 tri-bike last year.
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| Podium Multisport on Zonolite Place in Atlanta |
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| Bikes and stuff |
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| My new stuff |
I picked up a Hammer gel bottle, 2 insulated water bottles, and an X-Lab Torpedo water bottle mounting bracket. The X-Lab mount will replace my Bontrager Aero Pack water bottle.
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| Matt |
To see more images from the race, Murphy's, and Podium Multisport see the galley below.
