Saturday was race day and I really shouldn’t have been there. The night before my new band had a big gig at Doug Fir, a local venue here is Portland. We did really well and stayed for the main attraction. I got home late and was up even later getting to bed at 3 at which point I decided to shut off my alarm and bag the run. A cat fight outside my window at the same time of my shut-off alarm woke me anyway so I decided I could do the race. So I dragged myself out of bed, guzzled some coffee and a 5-hour energy drink and away I went. I was still in a haze after the previous night’s fun, but I made it.

The good thing about the race is that it was a 5k and my first 5k ever so I was destined to set a PR. I have always shied away from the shorter faster 5k races as I am more about the long slow distance. But I thought a fast run would be fun and I was looking forward to the challenge. I placed myself towards the rear of the starting pack as I knew I wouldn’t be too fast. Big mistake, it was a really slow crowd. I spent the first mile or so getting past slow runners and walkers and I noticed a guy sticking right on my heels the whole way. During the second mile or so we went back and forth taking turns doing the pacing. I figured I’d take him on the hills, but as it turned out he had been doing hill training and we stayed neck and neck. On the last mile he crept up on me again and I told him “I see you there!” We high-fived and powered up the last hill. The last stretch of a couple blocks to the end I said “OK let’s go!” and we sprinted to the finish. I just beat him out by a hair! It was really nice to make a race friend! We hung out and chatted and waited for his wife to finish up before going to out pancake breakfast.

I am really glad I made it to the run, but a little bummed cause I missed a friends b-day party after. The sleep I had instead was really needed and today I have a concert to play for my swing band. I’m sure that will be better on rest!