Red Cross 5K in Brookhaven

Red Cross 5K in Brookhaven - race #10

     A small, but dedicated group of people were ready to race at the second annual Red Cross Delco Run/Walk for Life in Brookhaven on Oct. 9. The race/walk benefited the Red Cross' Southeastern Pa. chapter. It was a beautiful sunny morning with the temperature at 60 degrees. When I arrived at the Brookhaven Community Center and saw only a few people, I thought "maybe I had the wrong date." But with two other more established 5K races in the county that morning, this race brought only about 25 runners. To see photos and video of the race visit http://tinyurl.com/62bwpbo.
     After receiving my bib number, I learned that I would either have to walk a 1/4-mile or drive to the actually starting line. I get a little anxious as it is before a race, a finding out that the start wasn't right there was really annoying! Surprising me was Kevin, who helped me from spazzing out too much.
   Lining up on Coebourn Boulevard in front of an elementary school, we took off at the sound of the gun and headed straight before turning left onto Sir Galahad Drive and passing Lancelot Place. I know, very "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table." Weaving around Camelot Drive, we passed Garzia Park and up a few slight hills. I felt like I was running very slow and the brilliant sun was getting on my nerves. I really need to buy a visor.

By the time we reached Grant Drive, the two dozen runners had completely spaced out and it seemed like I was running all by myself. I hate that! It's like when you're in school and most of your classmates were handing in their tests and you wasn't done yet. I wanted to shout, "wait for me!" That, combined with the fact I had to leave soon to drive an hour to a baptism, I think helped me through the return loop of the race. Turning right and back on the Coebourn, I headed towards the finish line. Kevin shouted that I was making good time, but without my contacts, I couldn't really see much more than "27:??" When I did cross, I couldn't believe my time, 27:44! My best finish ever!

Unfortunately I couldn't find any races in Delco for the following weekend and I'm away this weekend, so there's going to be a slight sabbatical in my fall race journey. My next 5K is the second annual Spirits 5K on Oct. 28 at St. Andrew's Church in Drexel Hill. It's a fun pre-Halloween race that I ran last year. You can wear a costume! The sign-ups are the day before at the church.

Comments

Swimming on in honor of Coach Rick Field

I thought of swimming as a solitary activity. The rhythmic breathing, 18-20 strokes to the wall, flip turn, repeat, blocking out all sound and sights and just following the black line. Other than being a part of my high school swim team, which I had joined because my friend Tara encouraged me, I’ve been swimming laps by myself for more than 20 years. Coach Rick I was in the pool at Rocky Run Y several years ago, when Rick Field walked over and told me my right hand was entering the water too far to the side. I had met Rick in 2011, when he first started as a swim coach and teacher at the Y. I didn’t know what to make of him at first, he seemed loud and maybe a bit pushy, but he grew on me and I saw how much he cared for his swimmers to succeed. The Cedar Island 5K So in November 2019, after many years of asking me to join his swim workouts, I broke away from the solitary swim life to be part of a team again. Every Sunday from 7-8:30 a.m., our swim group would try our best following

Blue Marsh National Recreation Area in Reading

The idea of swimming outdoors in a lake in November sounded amazing, so on a warm & muggy fall day I headed to Blue Marsh Lake in Reading to meet my friend Kari. It started to rain during the 80-minute drive with Kevin & our pup Georgie & I was thinking, "why am I jumping into a lake?" But it was still warm & in the 70s, so I'll just deal with the lake temps.

San Diego Sharkfest Swim

The dream of swimming one last open water race this year was just too hard to resist! So with about a week's notice, I registered for a race, booked a hotel and bought airfare to perpetually sunny southern California for the one-mile San Diego Sharkfest Swim on Oct. 13. With a three-day weekend coming up, and the fact that Kevin and I have never been to San Diego, the race was a perfect time and place for a new adventure. After three days of touring museums, ships, Balboa Park , walking around both the city and Old Town and kayaking in La Jolla and experiencing a trolley tour, I was excited/anxious to swim on Sunday. Walking from our hotel to the start, which was behind the San Diego Convention Center, I noticed a lot of people were wearing wet suits, which made me a little nervous. But the race director, a former champion open water swimmer, joked and told the crowd that they were "wussies" and warned that those who looked to be struggling would be pulled from

Exercising to the Beat of the Street

Search This Blog