Polar Bear 5k (2010 Run 11)

Date: 2/24/10
Time of Day: 6:00 AM
Location: Belmont University

Conditions: 26 degrees F, cloudy (when the sun came up)
Music: Random Running Music

Clothing: Jacket, short sleeved wicking shirt, lined compression tights, shorts

Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

 

For homecoming week, my alma mater - Belmont University - had their own 5k...dubbed the "Polar Bear 5k".

 

Unlike pretty much any 5k I've ever done...it was run on the morning of a workday...although it was run extremely early.

 

I met my friend Mandi and we headed over, found the runners and realized that despite still being in our 20s...we were the oldest people there. In fact, we may have been the only alumni there.

 

It was cold. And early.

 

Mandi and I moseyed to the back of the pack of about 80 so that we would be out of the way of the ones that were running the whole route. I knew this would be a hilly course, so my plan was the same as my Fangtastic 5k plan. I would run the downhills and walk the uphills.

 

The course started out relatively flatly and I ran for the first 6 minutes until it cut off of Belmont Boulevard and onto a side street.

 

Then the uphill climb began. For the next 20 minutes, the course went continuously uphill through streets that were not exactly blocked.

 

Finally, after what seemed like hours...I hit a downhill...and it was a BIG downhill.

 

I started running and actually CAUGHT Mandi (who had been walking for a portion...but she generally walks faster than I run, so this was an accomplishment for me).

 

We turned left and started walking. For the remainder of the course, we would pick landmarks and run to them and then walk again.

 

At one point, however, we noticed that the entire pack was cutting left onto a side street...and had not been directed to do so. Neither Mandi nor I thought this was right (I would have finished in about 32 minutes had that been the case), so we pushed on without turning. Sure enough, we got to a couple of students telling us to turn left. I'm fairly certain that we were the ONLY two people out of the whole field who had run the correct course.

 

We came to the unmarked finish line and decided to hit it running...which we did...in 44:18 according to their time...which according to my body means that it was not a full 5k.

 

Nevertheless, we both claim it as a victory...as we are confident that were the only ones to run the route correctly.

 

11 down. 199 to go.