NC Blueberry Festival 5K

Date: 6/20/09
Distance:5K
Time: 19:45
Pace: 6:22
Place: 13th


I was in disbelief when I saw that my hometown of Burgaw was having a 5K run and that its the 4th annual run.

I arrived at 6:30am at the race site and registered then looked at the race course. I remember reading on the website that the race course had been improved this year due to suggestions of runners who had ran in this race previous year(s). When I saw the course and identified not one, two...but four turnarounds! three were in cul-de-sacs . I found it amusing and also a disadvantage since I knew it would slow all the runners down. This is an improvement?
We'll I guess that the race directors had to have so many loops in order to keep the race in the town city limits :)

The race started on time at 7:30am and it was really great to see such a diverse group of runners here at this event, total for the run/walk was over 300 entrants. It was quite hot and humid even at 7:30am at least >80 degree F and I took it quite easy for the first mile. One kid shoot out fast and was at least 200 yards ahead of the lead pack. If this kid keeps this up wow! suddenly I saw him start to slow and I and the lead pack passed him.
At about 1.5M there was a fire truck that was spraying water for the runners. I avoided the spray since I wasn't quite hot yet, However on the way back I did pass under the spray. The four tight turn arounds were awful because once you'd get going you lost momentum. Last mile of the race I just simply couldn't increase my speed and just keep a comfortable pace going in to finish.

Overall I finished 13th. and placed first in my age group. It was nice to see and meet Anthony Ivey who I saw in the N.Myrtle Beach Sun Fun 5K run. He finished an impressive 3rd place in the Boogie Marathon this year.

I certainly will train more intensely for future 5K runs.