Pam's 5K: the family race report PART1

The Durty Feets family loaded up the minivan at about 9am this Sunday and headed for the Simonian School in Sutton, MA for the Sutton Family Fun Race. This was to be Pam's first 5K race. I couldn't really tell if Pam was excited but I can tell you I was really looking forward to running. You see, Pam had agreed to let me pace her and keep her company as long as I didn't try to coach her. I absolutely love to run and Pam has recently started up again so this would be the first time we had ever run together for any real distance. I was very excited to share the run with Pam and to hopefully help her have fun.

We met up with Pam's parents, who agreed to mind the kids, and friends of ours who were also racing.



Pam's 5K
After getting our numbers, we lined up at the start with our friend Bethany for the opening ceremonies.


The race was in memory of a high school student who had died last fall on the football field. The boy's dad spoke a little about his son and the reasons for the race and the school chorus sang the National Anthem. It was a very nice ceremony. I love it when kids sing the anthem at races.

So the gun goes off and Pam and I set out on our journey. Bethany is a speed demon so she was off quickly. Pam and I tried to resist the inevitable vacuum of the race start and keep the pace down.

The course was picture book New England. Rolling, tree lined streets. By rolling, I mean hills. this was an out and back course so the nice long downhill at the start was a harbinger of sorrow on the return.

Pam humored me by letting me run barefoot for a little while but the roads were wet and rough so I gave up and put the shoes back on. About half way through, a group of kids was cheering at the top of a big hill. They had music blaring and they were blowing bubbles while they cheered. Really cool.






Pam and I made the turn headed back up the hill to the finish. Pam did great and only walked up the hills which is a wise strategy for a beginner out to have fun. As started in on the last 1/4 mile, I commenced my plan which i had been brewing since Saturday. I sprinted ahead and found the kids. Pam, Amanda, Matthew, and I all ran the home stretch together. That was the coolest part of the whole day, up until the kid's race.


Pam finished her race in 41:13 which better than she had expected. I think she actually finished with a smile on her face too. I'm very proud of her and really happy that she is getting out and trying the running thing. I can't wait until the next time we get to run together.

MORE TO COME! Stay tuned for part 2 - The Kid's Race

Cheers!

Location:Sutton, MA