The Kiddo and I did the Fallen Heroes 5k again this year. It's a really small, local race and doesn't have any sort of online presence at all. It was also a really uneventful race, so this recap is pretty short.
We got there an hour later than we did last year (the race starts at NINE, not eight!), so it was already much busier too.
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| Lots of runners |
I was happy to see another SparkleSister showing her patriotic colors!
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| Let "Freedom" ring! |
As before, the UF Color Guard presented colors and we all saluted for the National Anthem.
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| No, this isn't the Color Guard, but it is patriotic and really nice! |
After the National Anthem, we all lined up on the road in no particular order (self-corraling) and took off. The Kiddo and I ran together for about a half a mile or so, and then I took off.
I realized at this point that it's NOT raining! Every single time (not hyperbole here) I've run this course, it has rained. The streak is broken!
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| I"m pretty sure science would beg to differ |
I made it to Mile 1.
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| I have no idea what that drawing is supposed to be |
Pretty much alone in this mile, but I made it to Mile 2.
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| There's a lone water stop waaaaaaaaaaaaay up there |
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| Mile 2 |
Lake Alice, a lake completely on the University of Florida campus, and well-known for being chock-full of alligators, is looking very pretty today!
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| No alligators anywhere. Bummer. |
I passed Mile 3, though you can't really see the sign, and I heard my name... Whizzah whuzzah?
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| Only .1 of the sign, too! |
I looked back and there was The Kiddo! She had caught up to me! A selfie to celebrate!
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| And there's people behind us - we're not last! |
As we turned in to the finish line, I let her beat me, then I crossed right after.
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| Go girl! |
Official time? Nah, no official time here. No clocks. There was a clock at the finish line, but I didn't pay any attention to it. And, sadly, my Garmin died halfway through the race, so I don't have an exact time there either. BUT, I feel the need to get all geeky and scientific: Using my Average Pace from before the Garmin died, I can extrapolate a finishing time of 50:07. This seems about right, since The Kiddo and I walked in the beginning and the end.
We asked someone to take our finish line photos (I'm so glad she's not so camera-shy anymore!).
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| This is the first time I've worn a race shirt from a previous race to a race! |
Then we took some fun single shots.
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| Standard Teenager Pose |
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| Good jump |
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| Not the best jump! |
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| That is not the most flattering shot, but a great jump! |
We stuck around and saw the last finishers, but The Kiddo was hungry and there wasn't much of an after party, so we took off to a local McDonald's near campus. Unfortunately, they didn't start serving lunch until 11 (even though it was 10:45 and most McDonald's start at 10:30). She doesn't like McDonald's breakfast (sacrilege!) so we got out of the drive-thru line and just headed home.
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| I love that SO MANY people stuck around for the final finishers, not just a few |
Location: Gainesville FL
Host: UF Midshipmen
Race Fee: $20
Packet Pickup: Very easy; pre-race
Parking: Ample; UF Commuter Lot has a LOT of available spaces
Support: Meh – I think there was one water stop
After Party: None,
really. Some awards.
