This is For the Vietnam Vets - Fallen Heroes 5k Race Report

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After missing out on this race for a few years, I was finally able to do it again!

In previous years, it was run around the University of Florida campus, but since I'd stopped running it, it changed to Depot Park. I'd recently done a race at Depot Park, so I knew what to expect.

However, parking was in a different location, and I got to experience this weirdness:

What is this shit?

HUH? What is this craziness? According to our local news station, this back-in angled parking is "considered safer than parallel or traditional angled parking for several reasons, including increased traffic visibility, and safer unloading for children due to being protected from traffic by car doors."

while the photo doesn't show it, I wasn't the only one to have difficulties getting into an angled spot. It just seemed wrong. If you're gonna back in, you should be backing in perpendicularly, not at an angle. No matter how many times I tried, I couldn't get it... so I gave up. I'm in my lines, it's fine.

This was like my 5th attempt to do this... fail!

Once parked, I went and got my bib and my shirt (basic stuff here, no goodie bag), and returned to the car.

Basic thick tee (I don't think it fit me, either)

I forgot to bring a Sharpie for my bib, so I improvised.

Vietnam Vets were never welcomed home; I welcome every single one I see

After I geared up, I headed back towards the start line to check out what was happening. Trader Joe's truck was there.

The line for this truck was LONG, once the race was over

Other than that, there wasn't much happening.

One side was packet pickup; one side was a local gym, I think

Hot Men in Ranger Panties!

Closer to the waterline, they had this beautiful wooden flag out for people to sign or write messages on (I'm not sure where it went after the race... who did they give it to?)

I'm in there somewhere

After the National Anthem (of course!) and Color Guard, we were off. It was a small and uneventful race, so I won't bore you with, Hey, I'm at Mile 1!

Look at me, I'm a tree!

Lead Male returning after I've done 3/4 of a mile

Hard to see, but some guy is over there peeing in the bushes

LOL... wait for it...

Memes coming to life, right in front of me (the similarity is amazing)

Mommy taking time out for Kiddo's breakfast

The finish line was literally orange cones and white plastic tape, and some guy at a table. They used to have a ginormous flag at their races... maybe the City wouldn't let them hang it (wouldn't be surprised, stupid Liberal town).

They spared no expense on this finish line

Still gonna call it a Finish Line Photo

My official time was 52:40. There were 348 total runners. Their results were a simple Google Doc, with no other information in there.

After I finished, I drank some water and headed over to the Trader Joe's wagon, where I got a reusable grocery bag, a granola bar, and spun a wheel of fortune to win some TJ brand corn chips (I never even tried them!).

I hate to say it, but with the race being this bare bones, I'm hesitant to do it again. I know that all of their profits go to the Gainesville Fisher House, and I'm proud to donate to them, but it's just so boring! The UF route was a little more exciting, I guess. (ETA: They raised $4,000 for GFH this year).

BUT, I know me... if I can do it again in 2020, I will.

Narrator: She did not.

A little less ADVENTURE! - Gate River Run Race Report

Ugh... this was my slowest GRR since I started in 2014. Over THREE Hours!

Of course, I've gained weight and haven't been training, but let's not let those things get in the way, right?

Hubby and I headed to Jax bright and early Saturday morning, taking the Normandy Boulevard exit, coming at the stadium from behind, and we ended up parking in the Sports Complex parking garage, instead of the surface lot (as long as there's an elevator, I was okay with the garage).


At 7am, it was a balmy 62º, so that was nice (by 10am though, i twas 80º, not so nice).

This year, due to the construction at the stadium, the waves were all laid out in a line along Gator Boulevard, rather than in various parking lots. I liked it better this way, because I didn't feel out of place, and I could keep an eye on what was going on.

The Starting Line is like another mile away from where I am

I should have kept a better eye on what was going on, because somehow I ended up in Wave 3, instead of Wave 4 (the dreaded Pink Walker Wave).

I mean, honestly... There's a big "3" right behind me!

So, instead of being in front of the Pink Wave, I actually ended up at the back of the Purple Wave. Now, I know it's not a huge deal, but still... 

Obligatory Shoofie

And, because this happened, Hubby wasn't expecting me, so he didn't get to see me cross the start line. Oh well. Let's do this!

Other than the start line mishap, it really wasn't an eventful race. I did pretty well keeping up with my 1/1 intervals, but they weren't fast intervals, so I might as well have walked!

Bridge #1

Action Shot!

Already hot at Mile 2

Points for the patriotism, but she HAD to be hot in that get-up

Always fun people at this corner; this year they are Pac-Man characters

Hey look! It's Mr Libby Legs!

5k Split Time 55:37     Two More to Go!

Last year, the race bypassed River Road, I believe due to construction, so I was happy to see that it was back on the course this year. This street always has fun spectators.

Wonder what the mortgage payment is for this view? (Zillow says about half a mil)

Beer and Dunkin' Munchkins... at 8:30 in the morning...

At Mile 5, along came this crowd... A group of walkers, and one of them had a Bluetooth speaker just blaring loud music for everyone. I get it, music is motivating, but your music isn't music I want to hear (and probably vice versa), so I find this inconsiderate and rude.

Ugh, get some earbuds or don't have music

Preach it, Paul

These ladies, oh my... Either they were having a great time, or they were massively hammered (I'm going with #2). They were dancing, singing, partying with the bands, weaving in and out around the runners, and all sorts of other weird behaviors.

At least they were hot

This neighborhood used to be the home of the World Famous Sausage Stop, but they became too popular, and now they are at a local business' parking lot around the corner.

All the neighbors, giving out all the beers

Further down the road, Chris Johns' office was giving out free beer. (No pens this year).

Keg line

Ugh, this road is always so hot... I'm doing OK though! (I think that's supposed to be a smile). Also, at some point in these next few miles, I had to pit-stop for a pottie (TMI, but my pantyliner was chafing something fierce and I had to fix it).

At some point, I got lollipops, which I stuck in my buns, and then forgot about

10k Split Time 1:55:57     One More to Go!!

Holy moly, that's a huge turtle!

Soon...

Saw what the Sag Wagon looked like as it drove by

Seriously, dude... your speaker is annoying everyone

Look Ma, I Made it!

8.3 Mile Split 2:40:10     Action Shot!

I love this downhill (except when it almost trips me)

Son of a bitch... my Official Time was 3:00:14. OVER THREE HOURS??? You know, if I hadn't had to hit the porta, I would have been fine.

Strike a Pose

This meant my pace was 19:23 (soooo slow!). I was 6664th out of 6804 female finishers, and 888th out of 901 in my age group. I was 12409th total, out of 12616 finishers (final finisher came in at 3:40, so I don't feel as bad now).

A few days after the race, I got this really cool link to statistics about my race, check it out! it gives me all my stats, and even shows a neat replay of the race, showing where the male winner, the female winner, the final finisher and I am, all in relation to each other.

Seriously, go check this out!

Once I got my medal and my water, Hubby met me at the end of the chute with my flip flops and Power-Ade, then we limped on back to the car. 

At this point, it was time to change, and then time for Adventure! 

Hubby is always jealous when I do away races, because I come back with fun stories of what I did while I was out. Since I know he's never been a Go Shopping for 3 Hours kind of guy, our adventure was very small. We hopped in the car and headed north on 75. We were trying to figure out what to eat for lunch, and I kept saying, let's just get out of Jacksonville first, and before we knew it, we were crossing state lines in to Georgia! I kind of forgot that there's not much Florida left once you leave Jax!

So, we kept going north until we got to the exits for Brunswick, the first big city in Georgia. Neither of us yet had decided what we wanted for lunch, so we pulled of at the first exit, pulled into an empty parking lot and checked to see what was nearby. 

I happened to look across the street, and I'm about 99% sure that the Huddle House that stood over there was the same Huddle House that we broke down at 2 weeks after our wedding, back in 1996! In that instance, our alternator died, and we stayed there for hours, until my new Mother-in-Law could drive down from South Carolina to help us put in a new one. She stole an ashtray for me, and bought me a full carton of Camels... God Rest her Soul. 

Anyway, we ended up just hitting a Cracker Barrel (what, no Huddle House? HELL NO!), then turning around and heading for home. I don't think he understands that this type of adventure is fun for me! He was probably thinking, why did we even go to Georgia? And I'm like, because we can! I don't know if this will put the kibosh on his wanting to adventure with me again, but I'm pretty sure it will. Oh well, his loss! Bring on the next adventure!