5k Fever

So after running a Zoo Run Run with my sister (see photo to left) and realizing how gratifying it is to fly past grandmas and 6 year olds, I got this itch to run a 5k every weekend. So I signed us up for the Texas Round Up the following weekend. The Texas Round Up is something that Governor Perry started 5 years ago as a health and fitness initiative for Texans. I heard about it mainly through my work at TxDOT but had never participated in the actual 5k event. Now that I no longer work there, it seemed only logical to get involved, ha.

The course has you running south down Congress Ave and then north up S. 1st street. Running down two major streets that have been closed down for a race is always neat, but the fact that we got to cross the Town Lake twice!... that was memorable. I managed to snap one picture while I was running, a picture of all of us running down Congress with the Capitol in the background. For some reason, as you can see in the picture, I was running in front of a man dressed up as The Hulk. I saw no one else dressed up. Of course, this is Austin, which may also explain why several people ran with their dogs alongside them.

Our finishing time was 2 minutes faster than the previous weekend. Considering that we had to stop for a Rev-Potty-Break during the race, and then find an off-course trash can to throw away an applesauce container, I was pretty happy with our time. I was feeling awesome until I hear the announcer (who was announcing people as they crossed the finish line via their bib number) say something that would bring me back to reality. He announced that the Governor of the State of Texas was crossing the finish line as well, only he had run the 10k. Sure, the 10k-ers started the race 10 minutes before the 5k-ers, but still. It took a middle aged politician 10 minutes longer to run a 10k than it took me to run a 5k ... doh! Still, it was enjoyable.

After the race, we got to enjoy free food and music on the steps of the Capitol. Rev saw kids getting their face painted, so he got in line. The lady asked "What would you like on your face? A tiger? A truck?" Rev looks up, usually very shy, and without reserve tells her: "Green." Hah. For several seconds the lady wasn't sure what to make of that request, but I suggested giving him some camo face paint, and Rev loved it. The whole day he kept asking if his "army face" was still on.

I skipped out on an opportunity for a 5k in Round Rock this past weekend, so already my a-5k-every-weekend plans have gone to shambles. On Saturday, Rev woke up very concerned, "Mom! We forgot to run our race today!" haha