Run for the Patch

My latest race was a total accident/spur of the moment type of thing. I went out for a run on Saturday morning and was about 2 miles into the run when I noticed a couple of runners. I decided I'd start running towards them and maybe I'd catch em and run with them for a while. As I was following them, I started to notice more runners around a church on 106th St. in Owasso. Incidentlally, this church (in coordination with Fleet Feet Tulsa) was hosting the Run for the Patch. I smoozed over to the registration tent and asked what was the deal. There was a 5K and a 10K race going on....AND "THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHALLENGE". The GPC consisted of running both the 5K and the 10K. I thought to myself "I've just been challenged". So I signed up.

I wasn't planning on racing that day or more specifically running fast, so I did a little extra stretching and the 5K went fairly well. I came in 4th place in my age group for the 5K with a time of 22:27. The 10K didn't go as well. I expended quite a bit of energy in the 5K and didn't have much steam left. In the 10K, I placed 2nd in my age group with a 51:25. My normal 10K is about 5-6min less, but again....not that I'm making excuses..... the 5K. I also started cramping at the end of the race. This was probably due to the spur of the moment race. I had a couple beers the previous night and may have been slightly dehydrated. In the GPC, I came in 16th place.

Overall it was a pretty good run or runs. I'd like to do it again next year and really just kill it. I'll be more prepared though. The only thing that sucked was I was hoping they'd give us a pumpkin for doing the GPC, but all I got was a little blue ribbon.....oh well.

Time for the Tulsa Run
~Kratos