• Race #158
• 8k #14
• 2019 Race #2
• 2019 8k #1
• Icebreaker 8k #1
• Greenville Dirt Series #1

I decided to add this race to my schedule several weeks ago. I think the series idea lured me in but I do not remember.

After last week’s solid race, I thought this race would hold more of the same. Nope. A strange illness somewhat like an incredibly vengeful cold that acquired nasty powers from an unnamed type of illness, like the Rogue of colds.

I did not run at all this week although I did manage to get a session of strength training in and a solid stationary bike ride.

I wish I had felt better than the sub-optimal that I did because this was a fantastic course!

I have not been out to Conestee since it became a park. As we pulled up, I vaguely remembered the parking lot from its days as the parking lot to the Greenville Braves. *Cue the fond memories of childhood baseball*

We got there a little ahead of time so after a quick jaunt outside the car to get my bib, Mom and I waited in the car until a few minutes before the race. Below-freezing temperatures made this quite appealing.

After lining up, the race director spoke for a few minutes, and also threw a long stick at Mom, accidentally. (I did not know what happened until afterwards.) Then we were off with the sound of a siren on the bullhorn.

My legs did not have much if any pick me up. I decided I would just jog it out. I wanted to run steady and make it to the finish, especially since I still battle the crazy cough.

We made a nice loop around the part of the park before heading onto the trails portion.

After the first mile, running felt like a slog. I kept bribing myself to make it to mile 2 and then to mile 2.5, the nominal halfway point. I had to stop before that because my right shoe came completely untied. That hasn’t happened in quite a long time. I chose to walk for a little bit then before picking it back up motivated by a desire to get back in front of a girl running with music playing out loud (I ended up not listening to my music) and a dog attached with a leash on her waist.

I thought after the turn around near mile 3 that I would want to walk more than I ended up walking. I think that the first three miles held more hills than I expected.

I pushed forward to the end and even sprinted just a tiny bit at the finish when I heard someone cheer a girl that apparently approached from behind.

Originally I planned to run twenty minutes before the race and 70 minutes after to get in a long run. That changed, obviously, so we ended up heading home with a quick pitstop for some coffee deliciousness.

Hopefully next week will bring a clearer nose and more running.