Official race results

According to the online results, though I had timed myself this morning at 33:35, my official time was actually 33:34.5 :), and this brought me in 352nd out of 741 runners, and 9th of 23 in my age group (men age 50-54). Next spring I'll move into a new age group!

Heart of Detroit

This morning (at 8:30) I ran another 5K (3.1 mile) race - the "Heart of Detroit." It began outside Comerica Park - home of the Detroit Tigers - and wound down to Cobo Hall on the Detroit River, before returning to Comerica Park, circling its exterior, and then entering the tunnel and running a portion of the warning track (between the right field corner and home plate) before ending on the big Old English D near home. It was a very warm and humid morning - a prototypical August day! Though the run itself was enjoyable, and the finish, in the home of the Tigers, was exciting as I expected, I was really too tired at that point to experience the full enjoyment of the moment. The high point for me may well have come before the race - just arriving, and sensing the excitement of preparing for this event at such a site. Michelle and I were both pleased when, at one point she was taking my picture beneath the large Tiger statue, the Tigers' mascot, Paws, came over to pose with me and shake my hand. Then, the emcee began her introductions by saying, "Welcome to Comerica Park - the home of your first-place Detroit Tigers!" ... eliciting a huge roar of approval!


Tactically, I did not do all that well. I took it out fairly fast, and for the first couple of miles was thinking that I even had a realistic shot at breaking a half hour (though not my personal record of 29:14). But the heat took its toll, and in the last mile I faded badly, finishing (by my watch) in 33:35 - a pace of 10:49/mile.

I had told Michelle I'd be happy to drive over for it alone, and at one point that was a consideration. But she ended up feeling that she wanted to go, and I'm awfully grateful that she did, for her company, her photographic support, and her driving.

Afterwards it was a bit of a scramble, as I had committed to run projections at my church for an 11 AM memorial service. But with Michelle driving, we made it back in plenty of time for me to shower and get to church comfortably.

Coming 5K

This Saturday morning I'm looking forward to another 5K run - the Heart of Detroit - as it finishes into the tunnel and with a lap around the warning track of Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers, and then at the Old English D near home plate. My personal record for a 5K is 29:14, but honestly, I'd be thrilled to pieces if I could somehow manage to break a half-hour, and more realistically expect to finish in the 31-32 minute range.

Trying to get back in shape

This morning I ran my 5.25-mile route, that I used to almost take for granted in doing slightly under an hour, finishing today in 58:54 - my first time under an hour since May 2, and before that I had not done it since 6/25/10. So, I've had a "lazy" stretch in recent months, but am trying to get back to it again now.