Top Pot Doughnut Dash 5K

Had a nice little run on Sunday at the inaugural Top Pot Doughnut Dash 5K. Wil and I hoofed it over the hill and halfway around the lake to get to the start -- which meant that we didn't see any crowds until we were nearly on top of them! We had great low numbers and were unsure whether there would be many other runners at all. :)

Got to the starting area and wandered around a bit. I rather foolishly ate most of a sour cream old fashioned doughnut. (What was I thinking?!?) We saw some FANTASTIC doughnut costumes -- and, perhaps even better, two full-suited stormtroopers. Awesome!!!

After a few minutes we headed into the starting corrals, smirking at people who obviously weren't 7-minute milers in the 7-minute corral. We put ourselves in the 11-minute group, and spotted Melinda, who looked very, very sporty. The start was a hairpin curve away -- and it looked as if there were hundreds and hundreds of people in front of us. No matter, of course, since we had timing chips. When the race finally started, we went around the hairpin curve towards the starting line and I was amazed to see just how many people we behind us! Apparently some 2200 people ran the race... a lot of people to run on a narrow path around a little lake!

We set off at a good pace though; quickly passing a lot of people (really, walkers, you don't walk a 10-minute mile -- there's no shame in it, but you really don't need to line up there...). After a hundred yards or so I got clipped by a lady pushing a jogging stroller -- but I managed to keep my feet and not curse her when she said, "Sorry! That was my fault!". In the crowds we lost Melinda -- she told me later that she found a groove in the grass on the left side of the path and just ran outside the whole way.

Wil and I kept moving pretty quickly, though around 2.5 miles I really REALLY regretted eating the doughnut.

We finished pretty strong in 30:44 -- not a PR, but a decent time for us.