Run, White and Blue Powder 5k

In setting physical goals for myself post-surgery, I decided to plan on one 5k per month and possibly re-running the Marshall University Half Marathon in November (still hashing that out). My first race in this process was the Run White and Blue Powder 5k in South Point, Ohio. My reasoning for this is that it is close to our dropzone, I can do it on a weekend that Bobby is working with the skydivers and it is convenient.

I picked up Mander’s and my packets (t-shirts and bibs) the night before. This allowed me to know where I was going and reduced the need to wake an hour before it was necessary to allow for getting lost (as is quite possible for me).

In my defense, I had no idea this was a color run. I get that the term “powder” should have clued me in to this fact. However, it did not until I was looking up the address and it clicked. Oh well, too late. Having never participated in this style run, we were at a loss as to what we do with our packets of powder. Looking up and down the venue, you could see little kids pouring the powder into their hands and rubbing it all over themselves (saw my first toddler wearing a Trump shirt and cringed). Yeah, no. I am not pouring this shit ON me and then driving in Bobby’s truck back to the DZ. (This is not proper protocol, FYI). It was announced that just prior to the race the participants would throw the powder into the air and run through it across the starting line. This is where I moved to the rear of the pack and gave stank eye to everyone under the age of 70 who had powder packets in their hand. It was pretty to watch (from a distance) as it happened. However, running through that toxic air – I held my breath but Mander did not. It caused her a little breathing issue at first but she overcame it.

They also had overzealous volunteers who smacked people in the face with the powder along the course. We were instructed to stay left if not wanting to be smacked in face with said powder (sooper dooper party pooper – yeah, that would be me). I would go left while chanting loudly – “I am on the LEFT, I am on the LEFT”. There was one set of kids that I passed twice, as the route doubled back on itself. The comment “Boston doesn’t want powder.” may have been grudgingly said. Wearing my raceday cap usually gets me “named” in this area. At least they remembered to STOP…

My goal was 13 minute miles. I never claimed to be fast, I did claim I would finish (eventually). At mile one when my Garmin read 12:43 I damn near cried. Yay me! At mile two, when it read 12:34 I was beyond happy. It was in retrospect (from mile 1.4) that I realized “Houston, we have a problem”. At mile 1.4 there was a kindhearted woman who said (and I quote) “You’re halfway there, you got this!” I smiled thinking “Poor little lady doesn’t realize that 1.55 would be more like halfway.” Well, she was right. This 5k actually measured 2.8 miles. Had I the full third mile, I would have poured a little more into my speed to get it around 13.5 minutes (still acceptable by my standards). I am not hating in the least. The course was a nice straight course. It was warmer than average but plenty of shade along the road. I finished with an average pace under 13 minutes per mile (YAY!). All-in-all a success.

I will look at this “official time post” on the website and pretend that my actual pace was 11:42. When I do that Christopher Cross plays in my head: Riiidddee Ride Like The Wind…. Your judgey eyes do not pierce my joy…