Avondale 5K

So - if there's a race that starts 1/4 mile from your front door - there probably aren't too many excuses you can legitimately roll out for not doing it.  I noticed Gordon bagged 2nd in our age group here last year, the inaugural running of this race - so thought I'd open this year's road racing account (what d'you mean 2011 is almost over!?) with what I hoped would be my local fish-and-chipper*

YIKES! - I guess the quality of West Ashley running has increased - or else the fine Autumn weather prompted lots of talent to make the trip to the Avondale Triangle.  Cami was looking fit and fast.  Seekings was looking calm  - I didn't recognise anybody else - I thought I may be able to keep up with either Mike or Cami - and opted to start fast and see how long I could hang there.  With blood oxygen levels depleting as fast as the economic downturn of 2008, and lactic rising as quickly as the national unemployment rate; the front runners started passing through me from the 1 mile marker onwards like a dose of salts....

Despite my heaving lungs and panicking brain, the 2 mile marker came at less than 13 minutes - which surprised the $#!t out of me - so I decided to hang on, empty the tank and see how the finale panned out.  I barely beat some 12 year old into the finish chute, with Cami on the distant horizon and Seekings nowhere to be seen.  He would take 1st Masters in 18:sumthin  (fit b@5t@rd - isn't he supposed to be politicking or helping the city ?!) - Cami would take 3rd lady overall, a few seconds under 20mins.  Meredith Nelson took 1st Masters with a smidgin over 21 mins - I had to wait until the age group results to gauge success.

D@mn - despite bettering GN's time from last year by almost half a minute, my 20:29 was only good enough to get me third young40sumthin - still, at what other races can you score Mimosas, beer and breakfast biscuits at the finish line ?

Good Luck to John and the other Marine Corps contenders next weekend.  I'm helping with the Ecothon out at Capers tomorrow, so will not be able to join you at 7am. 

(* ed note - easy scottish race where you feature on podiums without much effort and no training due to small talent pool in out of the way places)