Tamarac, Fl
18:16 (5:53/mile)
30th place overall (out of 1198)
2nd in age (out of 55)
Official results

 5K races are not normally this big, but for some reason, Thanksgiving day races are. Last year at the Berbee Derby there were over 1200 runners. All those people wanting to work out their turkey-laden meals beforehand I guess.
     In the winter time, many people from the Midwest move to southern Florida because the weather is so beautiful (these people are called snowbirds) Today was a perfect demonstration of why they do such a thing. At race start the temperature was a fantastic 70 degrees with light winds and partly cloudy skies. A wonderful day to be alive and enjoying mother nature. Just as the weather begins to turn cold back home in Michigan, it gets nice in Florida.
     Running a 5K 4 days after a 3:07 marathon, well that might be a little crazy. But I just could not resist the urge to race in southern Florida because people here run so slow. My legs were still a little sore from the marathon and I could feel it. The race started and there were (what seemed like) zillions of people in front of me including little kids. I thought I was going really slow because of that, but it felt fast, but then again, I was trying not to push it to hard because of my sore legs. When I passed the 1 mile mark at 5:43, I knew that it was not that I was running slow, but that this was a really large field, so there would people in front of me. 30th place out of 1198 is pretty darn good, especially right after a marathon. I was supposed to get a medal for my second place finish but apparently, something screwed up, and they were not there. They are going to send it to me later, I guess.
    Had I not ran Harpeth Hills 4 days ago, I know I would have broken 18 minutes for sure. I am realizing that I am getting (relatively) faster still as I continue to run 50+ miles a week. Ok, so that might seem like a no-brainer to you, but I still love the fact that I am getting faster. I guess that is why I race as often as I can. You cannot believe how happy it makes me to do so well. I feel the most alive right after a race, no matter what the distance or my time. The endorphins coursing through my blood just fill me with such joy.

Nashville, TN
3:07:11 (7:07/mile)
4th Overall (out of 173)
2nd in age group (out of 22)
Dead toenail count: 2.5
Official Results      Official Race Website

Hilly. Very very hilly. Here is the elevation profile:

This was a wonderful and memorable race for a several reasons. Let us make a list:
1. Not certified. The race director prides himself on this being a hard race that is not certified and not fast. Overall, there is 2500+ feet of elevation gain and loss throughout the race. The hills were gentle, but constant. I started out slow (for me) and just tried to get in a comfortable rhythm. I knew I was racing the Las Vegas marathon in two weeks, so I did not want to take a week to recover. I raced a 5K 4 days later in fact. My first mile was 7:04, so you can see I held a pretty constant pace throughout the run. I never felt like I was pushing it, never really felt tired, never felt strained or sore. I truly felt great throughout the whole race. A 3:07 finish (considering the hilly nature) on this course is pretty darn good.
2. Small race, lots of love. This race was a passion for the organizers, and you could tell. The field was capped at 200 and the 173 finishers got a great deal. Every single finisher got a big round of applause from the spectators. Throughout the race, here were little flying ‘monkeys’ hanging on trees.

With so few finishers, everyone felt like a winner when they rolled in. The organizers asked for people to bring food, so there was a bona fide potluck after the race, including peanut butter sandwiches, which I have never seen at a race before.
3. Divorce Therapy. The race started 26 hours before the final court hearing for my divorce. It was actually nice timing because my post race euphoria got me through the last few hours, keeping calm and even keel. While running this race, I realized how important this running thing is to me. It removes any stress that I hold onto, releasing it into the pavement I pound as I put on the miles.
4. Deal and a half. For $60 I got a personalized (with my name on it) long sleeve technical shirt, another cute t-shirt, a most awesome finishers ‘medal’ (actually a piece of wood, but way cool) fantastic run support (sweet people at every intersection, enthusiastic water stations attendants) and yet another very memorable marathon. This is my 9th marathon (in 9 different states, by the way) and one I will not forget anytime soon.