Jingle Bell 5k

Run: 5k (3.1 miles) in :19:25 min. @ 9:00 a.m.

Weather Report: Cloudy and Windy, 37°F, 55% Humidity, Winds: from W @ 23 mph, gusting to 39 mph; feels like 25°F.

Pre-Race Comments: A very windy, cool morning for a run, and unfortunately not even a dusting of snow to be found! The gusting winds will definately create some challenges in hoping to establish a PR today, and a lack of a course map for reveiw in advance has me wondering just were the run will take us. I run in the general area of the race vey regularly, so I am certain there are likely to be no huge variations in elevation, or any surface (trail for example) that might prompt a twisting of an ankle...(I hope I didn't just jinx myself!)

Post-Race Observations: I arrived forty-five minutes early in order to do a "strip-tease" warm-up: run a little, take off the sweathsirt, run a little, take off one t-shirt... and so on until I was warmed-up to the max and ready to go. While the winds were very chilly, the bright sunshine did provide a slight reprive from the otherwise frigid conditions. Roughly the first mile was directly into the wind, which although a challenge, did mean that I could look forward to running with the wind during the final quarter mile (the course was a loop).

I felt excellent coming down the finish and noticed as I ran through the chute that I had recorded a personal record time. Just exactly what the time was, I was uncertain at first as my watch and the offical time nvere seem to be exactly in synch.

When the official results came in and I was proud to say that I had done very well today placing 16th overall out of 495 total finishers and 3rd out of 26 in my age group (M35-39). A nice "award" was also presented to overll and age group winners, a Jingle Bell ornament with my 3rd place finish noted on it. I was especailly proud of my time and happy to have established a new PR at the 5k distance--19:25 (6:16 split).

Embrassez votre été invincible!