The Kennett Run 2016- Race Recap- Race Repeater

Kennett Run 2016
Price : $30 (Registered in April)
Goodies: Blue Women's cut tech shirt, and lots of goodies after the race.
Weather- Sunny 60 degrees.

*** Correction ***

 
This is embarrassing! On Saturday when I looked at the results online, it showed me that I was 2nd in my AG. I didn't stick around for the awards, (my son was hungry, and my niece was sleepy and my mom grumpy, we needed to get going. Maybe next time I won't make crazy claims without the real trophy in my hand.) Well, I went to look at the results again today, to log them into my Race Logs, and it seems the timing agency made a mistake. They separated the Age Groups in 5 year intervals and I was in the 30-34 age group. Once the 35-39 group gets added they bump me all the way to 16th in the 30-39 AG. And I am still 2nd on the 30-34 AG. Oh well, I raced and had a lot of fun in this race. AG placement or not! and it seemed too good to be true anyway. I'm sorry for portraying my race as a AG Placement in my weekly recap.

This Recap fits perfectly with the Tuesdays On the Run Link up ( with Patty, Erika, and Marcia )

We are Kennett Run multiple time offenders! I have now done the Kennett Run 7 times, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. This is my longest race tradition! and the amount of the family members running is increasing!

Kennett Run 2015

 

Kennett Run 2012

Morning of the Race
I was up at 7:00am getting ready to leave. I said we were leaving at 7:30, which some people understood it to be Wake up at 7:30.... College kids...

I picked up bagels, donuts, and coffee for everybody at the Oxford Dunkin Donuts, which is known for their lack of coffee knowledge. I asked for an espresso and as always, they asked me if I wanted it in a CUP. I am always tempted to say "No, just put it in my hand, or straight into my mouth!" How else is espresso served?

Bagels, milk, coffee, espresso (in a cup), donuts, milk, breakfast sandwiches and OJ, I had food for all runners, spectators, and the Royal Baby. (we call my niece the Royal Baby)

We parked at my sister's bakery. They specialize on cakes, and sweet Mexican bread, which is super yummy, but does nothing for us before a race.

We walked to the race start line. My son and my sister ran to the start line... because they are crazy like that! I love those two!

I went to use the bathroom, and the line was insane! I have memories of the Kennett Run having a line of 20 portable toilets by one parking lot and another 10 by the star line. This time there were only 6 by the start line. So again, we sang the national anthem while in line for the toilet.

The Race

This is the longest section... feel free to skip to my conclusions.

There is big chance I'm an Runhole mom! My sister said that she would run with my son, because she wasn't planning on racing at all, but wanted to do the race because it's our tradition. And she told me that I could race this 5K, that she knew I wanted to. She is the BEST SISTER in the WORLD!

I did the first .15 of a mile holding my son's hand, we crossed the start line together. Then he told me I was dragging him down, and said he was running this with his Tia! I kissed him and took off.

I have a bad habit of starting in the middle of the pack, then get frustrated when I have to dodge around everybody.

The first mile of this race is slightly uphill, with a few steep rolling hills. But knowing this after 7 years, I was ready. I passed a ton of people, and heard a some people talking about how this was their first race, it made me teary eyed. It is so exciting to hear people doing their first race!

 

Then at .85 a woman I was running behind pulled to the side to say hi to her kid, this was also her first race. She said to somebody, I don't know who, that it was very emotional for her to be doing her first race, and that she was fighting every urge to breakdown crying. Then somebody else told her to hold it until the end, that she could cry at the end.

The second mile is mostly downhill, with a long climb down close to the end of mile 2. I was feeling strong and happy, but also very hot. I kept reminding myself that this was only a 3.1 mile race, and that I would be done soon. At mile 2, I snatched a cup of water from a volunteer, took a sip and threw the rest in my head I was so hot!

There is two more hills before the end, and as much as I kept telling myself to pace myself and take the hills slow, my negative thoughts won me out and I stopped half way up the hill. I walked about 10 steps, then started running, knowing the end was really close. I kept pushing my legs, and my brain kept trying to make me stop. A girl who had passed me at mile 2, pulled to the side, panting and with her arms in her knees... I wanted to stop and ask if she was ok, but the Runhole me kicked in again and I kept going. I feel a little bit bad about that.

I could hear the band playing at the park, which meant I was really close. So started sprinting... I had done several sprint work outs with Roger, so I knew that it was in me.

I crossed the finish line with the clock saying 26.20. Went to get water and check for the rest of my family.

Conclusions

* The first mile was uphill
* My jerk brain made me think I was tired, and made me stop in a hill
* There were lots of runners doing their first race
* I love this race
* It was hot


The Rest of the Family

Roger crossed the finish line 4 minutes later, Nina 1 minute after him. When I finished the 5K, I had gotten a picture of my son at mile marker 2, so I knew they were close. 

Nina

 

Roger

I started to walk the course back. And cheering on the other runners, until I ticked somebody off. I saw a few runners and I was cheering for them, something along the lines of "You are doing great, keep going, You are doing this". Then a woman runner yelled back at me "We know were are doing it, we are the ones in pain!" Ouch.

I found my sister and my son, I walked along side with them, and then my sister asked my son if he wanted to start running, he said yes and took off. I ran with them for a little bit, then pulled off the course, and ran on the sidelines to meet him at the finish line. I gave him a huge hug and a cup of water. We walked out of the finisher chutes, grabbed bananas and one more cup of water.

Post Race
One of my favorite things about the race is the amount of post race refreshments. This race ruined me for all the other races. They have pizza, donuts, soft pretzels, bananas, oranges, Dunkin Ice Tea, Dunkin Iced Coffee, beer, chips. I have come to expect this level of food at all races... We grabbed some food and went to stretch.

Roger Took this picture of us walking back. It's one of my favorites.

You can't tell, but that diaper bag in my arm is really heavy.

My mom, sisters, Natasha and her Boyfriend, all enjoying our Mexican Ice Cream.
 

We walked back to the bakery and stopped for ice cream at the Mexican Ice Cream shop. What makes the ice cream Mexican you ask, you ask for it in Spanish... as in "Can I please have one scoop of Limon?" I'm kidding! Mexican ice cream is creamier, more like the consistency of gelato, and we have traditional flavors, like Tamarind, Mango, coconut, Rompope ( a creamy vanilla liquor), and I even saw Tequila flavor ice cream. 

My son jogging back, because 3.1 miles wasn't enough
 

Victory photo

My brother in law made Roger a special cupcake... he must like him more than he likes us, he never made us a cupcake before. Just sayin'

We went home and made tortas for lunch. Tortas are Mexican sandwiches, they are called tortas only because of the bread we use for them, which we picked up at my sister's bakery.

We hope to be back in 2017 for the Kennett Run!