Race #29 – Go! St. Louis 5K (virtual)

I’d originally signed up for this year’s Go last year, shortly after the completion of the 2014 race.  That was my best race last year, and (I think) the only race that I completed under fifty minutes.

Although I haven’t gotten my trip report up here yet, Darla and I took off on a cruise shortly after the Boots and Badges race at the end of March.  Unfortunately, this cratered my being able to do the Go, as we were in New Orleans getting ready to board Serenade of the Seas for two weeks at sea.  The folks at Go were amazing, and mailed me the shirt and medal while we were gone.  This was the fifteenth anniversary of the race, and I really wanted that medal!  (Imagine that!)

My intent had been to run this race virtually aboard ship, and earn my medal.  However, the track on Serenade is so short that it’d take NINETEEN circuits to travel five kilometers.  I’m not a fan of looping, so that didn’t hit me very well.  Add to that apparent wind speeds on the top decks that approach 100km/h, and suddenly that run didn’t look so appealing.

I also injured my foot somehow on the first day of the cruise.  While my right foot has given me trouble over the last year, this time, it was my left.  Ugh.  I hobbled about for a day or so until it got under control, but I didn’t want to tempt fate too much.

So, three weeks after the Go was run, I did mine.  My time was pretty slow, but I only walked, as I didn’t want to stress anything out in either foot.  Frankly, it went pretty well.  The temperature was very nice and comfy, until the clouds broke up.  The temp didn’t go up much, but the sun beating down on me really heated me up.

One thing that this pointed out was that I need to come up with a 5K course from the house that is easy to navigate.  I turned left and right, cut through parking lots, and had to watch the traffic far too much to enjoy this as much as I’d like.  But, any miles are good miles, so I’m happy to have gotten this one in.

I wish I had a bib for this race.  I’m scouring the interwebs for an image of the bibs from this year so that I can print one up for my bib book, but ’til then, I’ll take my medal, and be happy knowing that #29 is in the books.

BTW, there’ll be more virtual races coming this year.  The difference between a virtual race, and just training?  Everyone say it together…

A medal!

Race course:

Go! St. Louis 5K (virtual)