Schutzenfest 2010

A few weeks I got the urge to run a race, so looked around for a 5k to run in and found one in Midway called Schutzenfest.  I really wanted to do it because you got a long-sleeved t-shirt instead of the normal one.  I bribed Janet into running it with me (it wasn't hard, she was in her post marathon depression stage) so we registered.  I looked at past results to see how competitive this race was, and I was happy to find out that last year there were only six runners in my age category, and the fastest time was 22 minutes.  I was sure I could place, seeing that after the first place, the times were mostly in the 30 minute range, which is slower than I've ever run a 5k.  I've always wanted to place in a race, but here in Provo it's near impossible.

The morning of the race we got up and drove to Midway.  The race was at a bed and breakfast at the bottom of a small mountain.  We lined up for the race, and the organizer explained the course:  you have to run a little on this road, and then take that trail that splits off up there.  The trail goes up over the mountain, and then you'll run into a road on the other side that will bring you back around to the finish.  The race was up a mountain!  Janet was fine, but I almost died trying to run up that mountain.  When the runners near me walked up the steep parts, I was glad to be near them so I could walk too.  I made up a lot of time on the downhill because I have such long legs, but near the finish line Janet (who had finished like 6 minutes earlier) had to run with me so I wouldn't stop to walk.  I finished with my worst 5k time ever, but I placed 3rd in my age group!  Janet had gotten first place, and in those 7 minutes or so between us, some other 20-24 year old snuck in between us.

We attended the awards ceremony where we received ribbons and beer mugs (Yes!)  for placing.  We were also both fortunate enough to win "drawings"  for Blue Boar Inn t-shirts, size large. Really the organizer just looked at a list of the registered runners and shouted out bib numbers until all the prizes were gone.  We were pretty happy with our loot, but after almost dying on my way up the mountain, I'm not sure if I'll do that race again next year.  If you want a Blue Boar Inn t-shirt, let me know.  Brian doesn't want the one I won for him, and I'm not sure what Janet is doing with hers.