Hello again! Dayton’s Charity Chicken here with another local race report. This time I was in Beavercreek for a heart disease awareness 2 mile run/walk: The Greene Goes Red for Women. It happened this past Saturday. Much to my great relief after my earlier debacle at The Frostbite 5, the temperatures dropped to below freezing, well into my happy zone and just in time for the event.
I waited until the day of the event to pick up my packet (spiffy new shirt – woo hoo). Registration was held at Urban Active Fitness. I wanted to hop on all their weight machines but I resisted. Instead, I dropped into the Panera for a decaf coffee. A very nice lady helped me find the coffee cup lids. Warmed from the inside I mingled for a bit and then went for a little warm up walk around a square block of The Greene. Soon enough it was time to line up at the start.
I was very nervous after dropping out at the beginning of The Frostbite 5 (see my earlier blog posts). But when the crowd eventually surged forward to start the event, I leaned in and did some speed walking with a very short stride. This kept me out of last place (and prevented me from experiencing Frostbite 5 flashbacks, inducing a chickie panic attack). I was doing better than my last time out, but my legs started cramping. I did my best to just keep pushing through it. I was hoping that I would finish in 36 minutes, but I had a feeling I might go a bit slow and take 38 minutes to complete the course. I continued past friendly course marshalls who complimented my look (they must have loved my awesome boxers). As I turned the last corner and approached the finish line, I was surprised but pleased that the clock read 32:00:00, meaning I would cross it just after 33 minutes, far better a time than I thought I could hope for.
This was a big comeback. I celebrated my success by getting breakfast at Panera with a big, friendly, and curious crowd. And afterward, I did a little chicken dancing. J
