OWL-DRAGON

Ventnor 10K (Wayland Memorial Run)

Second year running this small 5k/10k that opens the summer season. Race is held on Absecon Island which besides Atlantic City holds Ventnor, Margate, and Longport. Race is perfect venue for a runner wanting a PR, flat and straight. Runners run straight south on Atlantic Avenue through Ventnor, Margate and Longport. The turn around is a small traffic island on a cul-de-sac near the end of the island. This year the weather was very pleasant with temps in the 70's, low humidity and lots of sunshine.

Since both races begin together the trick is not to get sucked out too fast with the 5K runners. Fortunately, Joe Gallagher with whom I regularly run on Tuesdays was also doing the race. Joe has a very good sense of pace. Last year I ran with a sore hamstring and couldn't keep up with Joe but this year I was able to comfortably maintain pace with him. I had biked the course Saturday and knew to be patience with the distances. A young fellow, Dan, kept pace with us. A few blocks from the turn around he began asking about where it was but I had kind of lost track myself - it felt like we should be there but there was still a ways to go. I joked to Dan that together Joe and I were a hundred years older then him - hang in there. Turned out he was 13 and the youngest runner in the race and my joke was truer than I thought (and maybe a little depressing!!). Finally I spied the flashing yellow light that marks the narrowing of Atlantic Avenue where it meets the bay. (You can see how narrow the island becomes as inlet and ocean meet. Interesting tidbit about Longport - the first street is 11th avenue - ten blocks having disappeared in a long ago hurricane. The risk of living on a barrier island.) At the turn around a friend who had been fishing in the area was there to cheer us on. I felt strong enough to begin pulling away from Joe and passing a few other runners.

I maintained a strong, steady pace back. Couldn't quite increase speed but I don't think I slowed too much. There were no mile markers except for mile one and then for the last mile. The finish is a turn east and right up to the boardwalk ramp. I finished hard and just broke under 50 minutes (about 49:44) - little slower then I expected since I thought I had done better than an 8 minute pace. It is hard for me without mile markers to adjust my pace, but overall I was pretty satisfied with my effort.

Next up will be the Media Five Miler. Shorter distance but tough because of the hills (and the possibility of really hot weather).