KATs Making Tracks 5k

Time: 67:14
Distance: ~11-12 miles
Race Time: 15:28

I had wanted to get up to Tulsa for the McNellie's Pub Run which involved some running, beer drinking and more running, followed by some more beer drinking. But, I didn't have a ride. All the boys went up on Friday b/c Billy Grona is getting married this weekend. Since I was stuck in Norman I thought that I would get out the door early and mess around at the KATs Making Tracks 5k. The race was perhaps the worst road race in which I have ever participated. Absolutely terrible across the board.

First, there were no bathrooms. Second, the course sucked. Third, the prizes sucked. Fourth, the competition sucked. Overall, the race what? Yeah, sucked. However, there were a ton of sorority chicks milling about.

I warmed up from the Lodge to the KAT house on Chautauqua in 21:34. The gun went off a few minutes after 8:00 am and since the ground was a bit slick due to the heavy fog it was difficult to get any traction on the street. The runner to the left of me slipped off the line and went down. Wham! The lead biker who was 50m up front of the starting line was busy making small loops while waiting for the gun to go off. When it finally did, he was positioned sideways on the street. In his attempt to face forward/pick up speed, he pushed down hard on his pedal. Remember how the road was slick? Wham! Yeah, he went down. Hard.

I went out with a couple of guys that were down from ECU. We approached Lindsey pretty quickly, ahead of the lead bike, and behind two cars sitting at the stop light. I had to quickly dart out into the street just as the light turned green and dodge the cars. Once we were crossed, the lead biker was able to catch up and lead the race. We wound through campus by the freshman towers until we crossed Timberdell. I could see that the turn around point was up ahead and as I approached the volunteers, I put up my arms as if to say, "Where do I turn around?"

They just looked and said, "This is the turn around point."

To which I replied, "Anywhere?"

"Yea, anywhere."

See. I told you this was a shit race. Oh yea, there were no mile markers.

On the way back the lead bike was nice enough to not tell the other runners to get the "f" out of the way. So while I was running back--on an out and back course with several turns--I was forced to run around the joggers, walkers and baby strollererereres. The place was a mess. I was getting, "You're running the wrong way," and "Lookout!" At this point in the race I didn't care how fast I was running. I was tempted to walk the last 100m just to be a dick. But, there would be no real point in that and I decided cross the line casually and start my cool down.

C/d 40:12.