This year was the 30th time I was involved in the Thanksgiving Day Fredericksburg Turkey Trot 5km, which started in 1993 and is operated by the Rappahannock Area YMCA.
I’ve run this race 18 times and timed it 12 years. Running included virtually in 2020. 2005 was the only year I was not involved because of the wishes of an ex. Even bowing to her wishes, she still became an ex.
Every year since 1995, excluding 2000 and this year, I ran a race of marathon distance or longer the weekend before this race. So, my efforts have been more social than competitive. Without the long effort five days before, I was looking to run a fast 5 km, hoping to break 27 minutes.
However, COVID got in the way. Today was my first day out of quarantine. While infected, I walked 3 miles daily with a few short jogs intermixed. With my age and underlying lung conditions, I was advised to keep my heart rate down and breathing unstressed for 6 to 8 weeks.
Today’s race helped me gauge my plan for a half-marathon in 10 days. The RD will give me an early start option rather than waiting for me to finish. I planned to run for two minutes at the beginning of each mile and walk the remainder.
Since I stopped working on this race, I hoped I would not have to get up before sunrise to participate. Working with the city, the race organizers agreed to have a 7:30 am race start. I was up at 5 am, wanting to get parked by 6:45 am.
I did not do a warmup. I set my watch alarm to 7:20 am. Then, I removed my overlayers, put on a cotton top, and walked toward the start line. I hit the porta pots near the start line. Amazingly, 2 minutes before the race started, there was no waiting line. Then, I headed to the back of wave number one.
The race started at 39 degrees with a 34-degree dew point, no wind, and sunny skies. I wore shorts over compression shorts, a cotton long-sleeved shirt over a CoolMax long-sleeved shirt, a ball cap, a neck gaiter, gloves, a number belt, and my Saucony Triumph 20 shoes. I planned not to sweat, so the cotton was not an issue. It reminded me, “If I’m sweating, I’m working too hard.”
I didn’t see the gun go up, but the race started on time. Being at the back of the wave, I did not start my watch until I crossed the start mats, about 50 seconds after the gun.
The first wave had about 800 runners. Organizers had a 14-foot wide start line to thin the field. I jogged 150 paces after the start line and then walked.
I went through mile 1 in 13:26, then I ran for 150 paces.
Race organizers placed no parking signs on Sunken Road, giving a wide race path. When we designed this course, we used Monroe Street to cut over to Kenmore Avenue, mainly because it was wide and usually free of parked cars.
Turning off Sunken Road onto Monroe Street, cars and construction vehicles are parked on both sides. The YMCA may need to ask for no parking on one side of Monroe Street in future years.
The course turns left onto William Street, heading into town. This road is a nice little section going through part of the business district. My second mile was 13:43; then I ran for 150 paces. The run portion took me on Charles Street across Amelia Street.
Walking the last section on Charles Street, Canal Street, and Fall Hill Avenue was easy. My third mile was 13:53, and then I ran to the finish line. My last .10686 miles was 60 seconds, only 7 seconds slower than last year. I’m happy with my 42:15 finish time. This race was my PW 5 km time.
1616th place overall out of 2522 finishers, 829th of 1150 males, and 20th of 38 males 65 to 69. With my desired time, I would have placed 6th in my age group, the same as in 2022. But, if if and buts were candy and nuts …
My mile pace was 13:36. Over a half-marathon with hills, I think I can maintain 14 minutes per mile, just over 3 hours. I will decide on the early start sometime in the next eight days.