Run for Young 5K

Today was the first race in the Second Empire Grand Prix Series of races. It was a 5K in downtown Raleigh organized to honor Sadiki Young, a senior at Wakefield High who was killed as a passenger in a drunk driving car accident on January 14, 2007.

The weather was freezing cold (26F, -3C) and felt even colder with the wind and cloudy skies. I wrapped up warm in my cold weather gear including hat and gloves and stayed in the car as long as possible before the start of the race. I managed some quick stretches and then took to bouncing around at the start line waiting for the race to begin. The course was a simple out and back with a the majority of the steeper inclines on the way out.

The out part of the race was in to the wind and I was glad that I had decided to wear my hat and gloves as my fingers were freezing even with the gloves on! After the turn the wind was at my back and my fingers began to warm up. I didn't know what to expect time wise so I was pleasantly surprised to go through the first mile in 7:35. I managed to navigate the pot holes on Hillsborough Street and went through the second mile in 7:16. The third mile was harder and I slowed to 7:34 before seeing the finish and kicking for a time of 23:02. I finished 52nd out of 309 and 6th in my age group.

23:02 is the fastest I have run on a certified course and I am surprised and really pleased that I seem to be in good shape right at the beginning of the year.

Lance Harden (22) won the race in 15:51 which gives me 681 points (out of a possible 1000) for the Second Empire Grand Prix.