OWL-DRAGON

Just when I thought I was out they pull me back in

Run For Victory 5K - Downington, PA

I was attracted to this race because I wanted to do a Memorial Day Run and the prospect of doing a new race starting in a great local brewery and ending with a burger and beer seemed irresistible.

The course was a bit different than any I've done before. I'm guessing that the course was designed to minimized the effect on local traffic. The course looped twice on the same section of road so that at one point there were three lines of runners with the lead runners lapping the slower runners. On one side was a high school field and on the other an industrial park/retention pond. No shade. The last 3/4's mile was thru neighborhood streets.

Pretty good incline but I suppose the course was relatively flat as describe. (When I "challenge" the race director on his "flat" description he said it is compared to where we are - a born politician).

Ran mid pack and felt my pace was fairly consistent with mile two a little too slow.

Just three runners in my age group. I finished second but well (two minutes) behind first. Unfortunately, the age awards were only one deep (a beer mug ).
Major sponsor was Victory Brewery so the after spread and beer were first rate.

Still this race consolidated my gradual return to racing. I have discovered that my current regime will allow me to race occasionally without causing hip pain.
I won't be fast but I will be comfortably mid pack and even if not competitive it feels like racing.


"No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences. My times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged: each race a drama, each race a challenge, each race stretching me in one way or another, and each race telling me more about myself and others." George Sheehan