Fremont 5K Race Report

Never mind that every previous time we have considered running or walking the same event the weather has gone crazy. Torrential rain? Check. Snow? Check. But Suz and I dared the hail of toads and signed up for the Fremont 5K.

Suz has been doing the Couch to 5K program -- she's in her 4th week -- and I haven't been running much, so I wasn't sure if I would even be able to keep up! (And, no I can't blame my bike crash over Memorial Day Weekend -- I really hadn't been running much before that...)

Suz came round and we bussed down to Fremont, where we joined the crowd milling about, looking at the exhibitors and such. Suz seemed happy and excited to be there -- yay! 

before the race

 We placed ourselves at the back of the pack (because we're smart like that -- and considerate), and waited for the start. I couldn't really get a sense of the number of people there.

at the start

 But the event was well organized, people lined up in the right spaces, and the organizers were thrilled that everyone pretty much made it across the start line in under 45 seconds.

We trotted along, first along the street towards Gas Works Park. Suz kept us moving, following her scheduled workout, while I chattered away. We were towards the back of the pack, but who cares? It was a cool, dry evening and we were getting some exercise.

One odd thing -- there we were, chattering, when Suz looked over her shoulder and gasped. Right behind us -- well, okay, 10 feet behind us -- was a police car, all lit up, crawling along with a line of cars behind him. Umm, oops! We hopped onto the sidewalk, relieved to see other runners behind us, and the car inched past. We watched as the scene was repeated a few times with the runners ahead of us. But at the next intersection, there was a truck waiting to cross the flow. He was waived across about 25 yards ahead of us, but that made the police car (and the line of cars behind him) stop. So we went back on to the road, and didn't see the cop again.

Eventually we turned up a little path and up on to the bike path for the last little stretch before the turnaround. We high-fived the guy at the turnaround and headed back.

Suz was doing great, keeping us at a steady pace, though we did get a little bothered by the bikes zipping by. At one point I heard a motorcycle, and turned to see a motorcycle cop escorting a string of bikes along the trail. Very odd.

We passed the point of my bike crash (Suz: "You couldn't tell that wasn't paved? You need to get your eyes checked.") and kept going, rejoining the road on the last stretch. I told Suz to pick a spot up ahead where she wanted to start running to the finish, so that she "left nothing in the tank". She laughed and said "There's not much in the tank now."

She picked the end of the cones on the right, about 50 yards before the finish, and took off running. I reminded her to smile, cheered her on to keep finishing strong, and we crossed the line in 49:55 (with Suz pipping me by a second at the finish line!).

After the run we got a bottle of juice, stretched a little, and then hopped on a bus back home. I was very proud to run with Suz -- she did great!

post race -- thumbs up!

The only course map I could find online also shows the relay transition zones -- but you get the idea.

It's fun to run in the evening, but I doubt I would do that particular run again (though I could imagine something fun for the relay!).