Sunday, October 30, 2016

Brew Ha Ha Halloween 5k

So I don't normally bother with 5k's very often.  I think they are hard to race because I run them hard and so often anymore, they are over priced as everyone expects a medal and shirt and entertainment.  I do miss the $20, just show up and race days.  But, I digress.

Anyways, this year, InkNBurn released an AMAZING Halloween kit that I knew I needed to buy.  I had to have it.  Medieval was the name and it looks like chain mail and armor, capris and a short sleeved shirt.  I loved it.  So, I bought it and searched for a Halloween race to show it off in.  Now, I had run a few races this year put on by 13.1 Events and was impressed by them so I looked and found their Brew Ha Ha 5k. The medal was very cool too, a Sugar Skull medal with blinking eyes!  Sounded perfect to me.

Saturday morning arrives and I drive up to Carmel for the race.  I don't know that area very well so I arrive early and find parking nearby easily.  I hit the packet pickup and drop the long sleeved hooded tee-shirt (very nice swag, especially because it's not covered by sponsor,s logos) in the car.  I get a few pictures taken in front of the selfie background and wait for my friend and fellow InB fan, Jeanette to arrive.  Her and her friend, A, arrive soon and we head out for a mile warm up run.  It was warm for late October, already nearly 70* and sunny.  I was wishing that I had a skirt on instead of my super awesome capris but I wasn't willing to sacrifice my outfit and even if I was hot, it's only 3 miles.

We arrive at the start with only a few minutes to spare and J and I get ourselves into the front part.  I didn't want to get stuck behind a bunch of walkers.  The race starts exactly on time and we're off.  J and I had run the Indy Women's Half together just a month earlier and found to be on the exact same pace and really enjoyed each other's company.  We started off together but her coach had told her not to race so I sped up after a minute or so.  I was running pretty good, under 7:50, for the first 1/2 mile but the fast pace and my warm clothes were not helping me keep that pace.  Soon, J was at my heels and we settled into a quick and sustainable pace together.  Mile 1: 8:13
Mile 2: 8:14 very flat course, as expected in central Indiana.  We talked about a few races we had done and ones we would like to do.  We discussed overnight relays and marathons.  We chatted about costumes and sinus drainage and InkNBurn clothing.  Soon this middle mile was over and we were turning onto the Monon, a running/biking trail that lead to the finish.
Mile 3: 7:58  The event didn't close the trail to the public so there were a few runners and bikers along the way but everyone stayed out of the racers way.  I can see the taller buildings that were near the finish line but they seemed really far away.  J and I weren't talking anymore, we were both pushing pretty hard.  She broke away from my in the last quarter mile, that woman has a terrific finishing kick!
Mile 0.14: 1:08  I push hard and cross the finish line.  Whew, that was a hot one and it wasn't pretty.  Finishing time was 25:28, 9th place in my AG.  J and I walk around to cool down, find a photographer (they do all free pictures here!) and hit the beer table (Thanks, Mendoza brewery!).  J's friend A finishes with a full minute PR, which I'm sure was because she was wearing InB for the first time but she thinks it was because she joined us for our warm up mile.  We take off for a 2 mile cool down, catching up on our races and lives in general.  It's so fun to run with great women, I wish I had the chance to do it more often.
Anyways, the race is pretty much finished by the time we get back.  I grab a donut and say goodbye as I need to run another 6 miles for my training plan.  I thought I would be too hot for those miles in my capris but clouds came out and once I wasn't racing, I stayed actually very comfortable.  And kept a 9:40 pace for those miles as well!
Next race?  Monumental Marathon on Saturday!!!!!
Four InB fans!  Jamie in Kimono, me, J in Bee skirt and May the 4th tank, A in Red Robot

Check out those medals!!

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