The Stoney's Harborfest 5K

OK sorry it took so long to do. I was waiting for the actual time and I just finished watching Celeb Jeopardy. This is what I wrote in my Running Journal:

Harborfest 5K
8:30am 7/28/07 Overcast Muggy!!!

This was my first race that I would be doing along. Like I said before. No Teresa! No Trac! No Bridget, Kris, Shannon, Sherry or Sherrie! My Parents did not come to cheer me on. Ron did not bring the Kids because he thought that it would make a long day for them since we usually watch the fireworks at Harborfest every year, which happens to be the same day. Ron did not think that was a good idea, so no Kids!

So I get up in the morning before the alarm goes off and I start to get ready. The Kids are up and they wish me luck. Brian says as I'm leaving, "You and Aunt Teresa will do good running." I did not correct him.

So I leave the house 1/2 hour before I am suppose to. I don't know why, so I drive to Oswego and go shopping at Wal-Mart. I got a new shirt to wear for the race. (Typical Me)

After the shopping spree, I head over to the Oswego YMCA Armory to sign in. Singing in was fast and I receive my number #94. That is the year that I graduated SUNY Oswego, I just pray that it is good luck.

Around 8am the kids run starts and I see the Hatter's. Kevin (the dad) and Larry (Andy's friend) are running the 1 mile run. Now I'm wishing Andy was here to run with me. Larry and Kevin do a great job and finish the race!!!

Now it is time for the 5K/10K to start. Kathy Hatter was getting ready for the 10K (she does marathons) and I'm getting nervous. The 10K runners were on the left side of the road and the 5K runners are on the right side of the road do to the course that each of them runs.

After the National Anthem was sung, the signal goes off (or at least it seem like there was no time in between). I can hear my MP3 player in my ears, but I don't hear any music - maybe I hear it, but during the whole race I can't tell you the names of the songs that were playing.

I go down the road and cross over Route 104. I feel OK. I know that I'm going a little faster than I want to, but I'm not going to fret.

The 10K's now turn to the left while the 5K's head straight to get to Briebeck Park. I turn to corner at the end of the street and see the hill that goes up to Briebeck Park. For as many times that I have been to Oswego how can I forget there is a hill going up to Briebeck Park!!! This hill reminds me of the middle hill of the Tipp Hill run, but just a little bit bigger. We get to this hill before the 1 mile marker.

I will myself up the hill and do not stop. I'm proud of myself!!! We run to Briebeck Park and we go around the cone. The race then heads back to the hill we just ran up.

The people of Oswego are cheering us on. Just before the going down the hill, a family put a sprinkler near the road and set it so that the spray could go on the runners if they wanted to (and I did). Plus the town peoples were stand outside of their houses cheering on the runners!! It kind of reminded me of the race that I ran in my hometown last year. So as I head down the hill I check out the runners that I think that I will be spending the rest of the race with.

I get to the first water stop. I have learned from the Swamp Rat Race - I took the water and only took one sip and dumped the rest on my head!!

I am heading towards Route 104 again and I'm thinking that we are 1/2 over, but I do not increase my speed like I wanted to. I just want to finish the race still running (I'm think at this time) I turn the corner onto Route 104 and go over the bridge that crosses the Oswego River. They have us running on the sidewalk so they can keep 104 open. This is fine with me.

So I cross over the bridge and head towards the hotels that are next to the river. Now my legs are getting twinges and my breath is quick because of the mugginess of the air. I run between the Hotels and run along the river. I'm trying to count 1-2-3-4 to keep my rhythm, but it was not working. Then I see the 2nd hill!!! I turn the corner and see the steepness of the hill. I just knew that I could not do it by myself. So I walk up the hill and turn the corner. I walk for about 20 yards after the hill then start running again. I know that it is almost over and I was in the home stretch.

Now the speed walkers are catching up to me. So I'm trying to go faster than I'm suppose to!! I don't want to spend this much energy so far way from the finish line. I cross over the river one more time and start heading towards the Y. Just one more corner to go around and I can "sprint" to the finish line. After I turn the corner, for some reason that has willed me, I look to the right of me and see one of the speed walkers running with me, trying to beat me. Why would she want to do that. She is in a different division than me and the rules state that walker can not run or they will be disqualified. Now she is messing with my pace. So I look over to her and say that she needs to stop running or she will be disqualified. Then she could not place in the top 5 of the Walkers!!! Boy did she stop running real quick.

At the same time, some of the 10K runners are coming in with me. But I don't let that bother me, I'm trying to sprint now. I keep to the right side like the race volunteers tell me to do and I run to the finish line.

I get to the finish and I get a time of 35:25. I'm thinking that is great since I did not go over the course before I ran it and it did have two hills that I was not counting on. Oh yeah, I walked too.

Even thought the runners were not as friendly as the ones at Tipp Hill or the Swamp Rat race, the Volunteers and the people of Oswego were!!! They were there to cheer someone else on, but they were also cheering the other runners on, giving them encouragement!! That almost made me feel better that I did not have someone there.

Kathy finished the 10K about 8 minutes after I did, so I was able to cheer her on as she finished.

I did not do my personal best, but this was a 5K that was harder than any other 5K that I have done!! I am proud of what my time was.

On the shirts that we received it says "THE MIRACLE ISN'T THAT I FINISHED.....THE MIRACLE IS I HAD THE COURAGE TO START." How true, how true!!! The next race will be my one year anniversary of my first race. The Willow Bay 5K for Women......HERE I COME!!!