Summer Racing

On Saturday, I will be completing a couple of "firsts" in my life. I am running the Lifestyle Sports - adidas Irish Runner 5 mile race in Dublin. It will mark the first time I am racing outside of the U.S., my first post-collegiate race, as well as the first time (as far as I can remember) that I will be running a race where I don't know anyone else at the starting line. I don't have much experience as far as summer racing goes, with only two different races on my resume.

The first of these I have run several times - Spring Valley's Wilder Fest 5K. It typically falls on one of the last weekends in August. While technically it is a summer road race, it has really been more of a kick-off to the cross country season for me in the past, both in high school and college.

To remember the second, I have to reach way back into the vault of my memory bank, all the way back to the summer before my freshman year of high school. It was the 2000 Spam Jam 8K, a race run in early July in conjuncture with Austin, Minnesota's Spam Jam. It was just prior to my first cross country season and the longest race I had ever run before this was the 1600m in track. I still remember trying to train for this race, running the Trout Farm loop in Spring Valley (about 5 miles) alongside my Dad in a green Ford Taurus station wagon. I won my age group that day (14 and under) and even though it was over eight years ago, I took three things away from this race:

1. Girls can run, too - I was surprised when I was gaining on a woman with about a mile to go that she was still in front of me. Determined not to let her beat me, I passed her as soon as I could, only to watch her go by me for good with about a half mile to go.
2. 8000 meters doesn't equal 5 miles - My time was 29:5x and I was pumped because I completed my goal of running sub-6:00 pace. When I got home and saw the results online, I was rather disappointed. I was under six minute pace per 1600 meters, but my mile pace was 6:01.
   
3. A very unique plaque - my prize was a 2000 Spam Jam plaque, complete with a plastic medal and a Spam can right on the plaque. I still have it at home and if the can was actually full, I'm sure it would still be edible today.
   

Anyways, the reason I started thinking about this is because Kelly and I were talking about racing the other day on a run. He has some specific goals/races lined up for this fall, but as of right now, I'm still unsure about exactly what I'm training for. I only have two races lined up while I'm in Ireland and nothing for when I return to Minnesota. It's weird not having a schedule lined up for you for an entire season. I also won't have a uniform to wear in my upcoming races. I decided not to join the Galway City Harriers, as the fees, etc. were not worthwhile for the short time I am in Ireland. So, until I have a plan, I guess I'll just sort of do my own thing for a while and without wearing any colors.