ERHS Jaguar 5K Fun Run Race Report

This morning I ran the Third Annual Emerald Ridge High School Jaguar 5k Fun Run. This run took place at the high school where we do our interval training, with the money benefiting the Cross Country team at Emerald Ridge High School. The race was very well organized with cheerful high school runners in bright lime green everywhere...

Easton has a strange habit of waking multiple times the night before my races....last night I was up at 2:10, 3:30 and 5:05...thankfully with the race being 5 minutes away and starting at 9:10 I was still able to get my BEAUTY sleep...LOL.

I left home alone, Muscle Man, his BF and the Little Studs planned to meet me at the Finish Line. I signed up paid my $15, got race #39 NICE, found a Honey Bucket for a PRP, finished my Citrus nuun, did 3 laps to warm up, stretched and headed to the start line. The race is small and very low key, with most people walking. There was a group of young girls and a coach in a red Tacoma Marathon T-shirt, they did an ADORABLE jump around cheer... brought me back to my high school days.

The gun fired and we were off. The Race started on the track and looped around the dew covered grass on the soccer field. GREAT start the race with wet feet....thankfully my Pearl Izumi shoes stayed dry. I was in front, what I am at the front? Down the grass hill and headed toward the woods. I am NOT a trail runner. An older man with a strong stride and even pace passed me and disappeared into the forest.

The next stretch I will title "Tall Mom trying not to trip" Roots, rocks, branches, uneven terrain, all scary obstacles for a non-graceful 6'0 goof. I made it out of the woods unscathed. Mile 1 chimed, 6:59. My plan was to start the race around 7 minute mile pace and try to speed up each progressive mile... that was the PLAN. The next stretch of the race was dirt road and a steady incline. There were Cross Country members scattered throughout the course cheering....that was GREAT! Mile 2 chimed, 7:33. Oops, a bit slower than I had hoped for but with the incline I felt OK. Now we were headed for the hill that Muscle Man and I tested last week in the rain.

This hill very like a MONSTER today...I slowed way down and all hope for sub 7 minute miles faded. Good News, I was still in FIRST for women with the leader 200 yards ahead. SLOWLY up the hill, I waved at the male Twin high school pointer/cheerers at the top and headed down. I usually use the downhill to SPEED up...but I was tired, it was hot and I was thirsty. So I did what I could to keep moving.

The coach of the girls was running up as I was headed down... It felt so good to be the one running down as the leader... Oh I am BAD!! Like a large freight train I lumbered around the school and up to the track. I spotted my cheering squad and sped up.. I ALWAYS forget to shut my mouth and lower my arms for finish line photos... Good news!! I WON. The new ME TRIUMPHANT! #1 for women and #2 overall! My Garmin said my time was 22:56 with a pace of 7:25, slower pace than my (flat as a pancake) 10K oops!! Since this was a tune up race for next weekend I am happy with my time. I am running for sub 7 minute splits on the 19th, can I possibly shave nearly 3 minutes off my time by next weekend? Time will tell.


Yes, you have seen this track many, many times...it felt good to give back to the school Cross Country team.

I don't feel like I gave it my all...but I did the best I could today. I woke up with Batman neck so the pain from that, heat and thirst made my head not 100% in the run.

Loving my Brooks Carrot outfit. Run Happy people!!

Look to the right. That is the VERY nice man who took first. We chatted for a bit after the race. I told him I had only been running seriously for just over a year....he seemed pretty surprised.

It was hard to tell where the actual finish was...so I am unsure of my time. There was a chalk line about 20 feet before the chute and clock. So will have to check the race results to know for sure.

Water and a hug from my Little Stud. SMILES to a fun race!

My Shadow is TALL...

Accepting my 1st Place Blue Ribbon...I know you are all JEALOUS.. LOL. The extra cool part is they did a post-race drawing and I WON again. I got a $15 gift Certificate to Road ID, the sponsor of the event. VERY COOL!!

• Thanks to everyone for the wonderful and encouraging comments. I hope to run just as fast or faster next weekend with Muscle Man by my side.