Giving Thanks 5K

>> Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Last night, I was in charge of making “radish flowers” to take to our family meal today. Check out this fine craftsmanship:



I even made one into a “radish-o-lantern” just to see if anyone noticed:



...and it was eaten, and no one noticed it. Darn.

This morning, Pharmie and I headed to Como Park for the "Giving Thanks 5K." We got our numbers, said "hi" to Coach Jeanne, and here we are in the Como Lake Pavilion trying to stay warm before the start:



And here are some geese and ducks on the ice or in the frigid waters of Como Lake:



We hopped back in the car and warmed up for a few minutes, and then we were ready to race! We jumped out, and I showed off my sweet, sweet Thanksgiving Day outfit (it was the same thing I wore last year):


Is it still cool to tuck your shirt into your underwear?...



We got down to the start, lined up with 700 other people, and we were off! This race had the miles marked, but they were marked with how many miles were LEFT, so it was a little backwards. I just went with it. I took off in about 12th place, and by the “3 miles left” sign, I had moved up a few spots.

First 0.1 miles: 0:34. Running in 10th place, running pretty comfortably.

0.1 thru 1.1 miles: 5:55. I had just passed a group of runners, and I had moved into 6th place. When I started the 2nd lap around the lake, Gary (president of Charities Challenge) announced me as I ran by. Pharmie said that she heard me being announced on the P.A. system from across the lake! Too funny!

Right at the half-way point (next to the pavilion), I caught another runner, and I was now in 5th.

1.1 thru 2.1 miles: 5:57. Not bad. I now knew I’d be keeping them all under 6. We were running past the walkers that we had lapped, and it was a mad-house. They were all over the trail, and many would laugh at my outfit as I ran by! I loved it!

About a half mile from the finish, I caught up with 4th place. I said “good morning” and passed him. I held that place through the finish, and ended up 4th overall.

2.1 thru 3.1 miles: 5:39. Nice final kick – good last mile.

Total: 18:07
4th out of nearly 700
Tied for my 3rd fastest 5K
My fastest 5K (out of 3) run on that course


I ran back to the car and grabbed my camera. I got back to the finish line just in time to get a photo of Pharmie finishing her first 5K in a year:


Those are lapped walkers behind her

She wasn’t as fast as she hoped, but she still did great! I gave her some warm clothes (that I had brought from the car when I got my camera because I’m a good husband!), we walked back to the car, and headed for home. What a nice morning run to start off Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a great day! We all have so much to be thankful for! I’ll be back with a Friday Funny later tomorrow, and I’ll have more race photos from Gary in a few days! Happy Black Friday!

27 comments:

Pharmie 9:54 PM, November 27, 2008  

Thanks for a fun morning race honey! Oh, and about the below post - who are you having sex with while watching Conan? I'm long asleep by then...

I guess that means that either someone else is joining us in bed while I'm snuggled under the covers or, um, I'm getting some action I didn't know about. I'm wearing extra pants from now on just in case.

Steve Stenzel 9:55 PM, November 27, 2008  

Extra pants?!? You kill me! I love you soooo much!

Marci 10:07 PM, November 27, 2008  

Smokin'... even in your Tighty Whities!

Happy Turkey Day!

X-Country2 10:18 PM, November 27, 2008  

What a fun race! Way to rock the finish and support your girl.

GoBigGreen 11:16 PM, November 27, 2008  

nice run! Happy thanksgiving:)

duchossois 5:48 AM, November 28, 2008  

I am thankful for tighty-whities too.

You and Pharmie need to work out this sleep-sex thing.

Erin Leigh 7:34 AM, November 28, 2008  

Damn it looks cold out there!!! Sounds like you guys had fun though.

I didn't know you were a photographer. That and clay are my favs...

Jess 8:27 AM, November 28, 2008  

Great job to both of you on your race, and I hope you enjoyed a nice holiday!

Unknown 8:32 AM, November 28, 2008  

Good job both of you!! Happy Day-After-Thanksgiving!

Fizzgig 11:40 AM, November 28, 2008  

was it ever cool to tuck your shirt into your tightie whities? Oh...underoos? lol.

totally dig the radish-o-lantern. How creative!

Mary Sunshine 1:04 PM, November 28, 2008  

You completely win the "Best Thanksgiving day Post" contest that only I know about!!

How do you keep your whites so white???

LHE 1:12 PM, November 28, 2008  

Great run! Always love the tidies. Our family is holding out to celebrate/have T-giving day tomororow (because many are currently traveling) so I THANK YOU SO MUCH for the reminder that I need to ged radishes!!!!! Muaaaaahhhh!!!!! :) And nice radishes!!!!

KK 1:27 PM, November 28, 2008  

Pharmie's comment above is hilarious.

Nice radish o lantern, that sucks that no one noticed it. (I love radishes, P.S.)

Great race and even better outfit!

Nat 2:52 PM, November 28, 2008  

Nice radishes!!! (Why does that sound dirty?)

Love the outfit.. nice finish too.

Michelle 3:24 PM, November 28, 2008  

YAY!!! You did great and you look pretty darn sexy in that outfit!!! For real dude!!! Don't tell Pharmie i said that!!!! :O) Check out my race report!!! WOOHOO!!!!!


http://runningdowndreams.wordpress.com/

Anonymous,  4:06 PM, November 28, 2008  

Nice radishes and nice tighty whities! ;)

RoadBunner 6:01 PM, November 28, 2008  

Awesome tighty-whities shirt! Happy Thanksgiving!

teacherwoman 8:32 PM, November 28, 2008  

Nice job on the 5k! Way to pull out the tighty whiteys.... :)

Unknown 7:18 AM, November 29, 2008  

That looks like a blast. I always love the whities. You sure put in a fat time.

Charlotte 5:07 PM, November 29, 2008  

Nicely done! Nobody rocks the tighty whities like you do! Love the radishes too.

T 7:27 PM, November 29, 2008  

that's it, i'm doing a smaller 5k next year as opposed to a 4miler with 5,000 of my closest friends.

not to say that denver's mile high united way turkey trot wasn't a total blast, but when i have to walk across the finish line and am able to take pictures as a result ... not cool.

Viv 1:54 PM, November 30, 2008  

Congrats you to on a great 5K!

Unknown 8:35 PM, November 30, 2008  

Those are some great looking radish flowers.

The running outfit...not so much.

Oz Runner 11:13 PM, November 30, 2008  

Just wanted to say that I love your blog, and your lighthearted approach to life and running....it really is inspiring and makes me laugh at the same time, which seems odd....

J~Mom 12:28 AM, December 01, 2008  

Great races for both of you!! I am cracking up at the radish!

Chic Runner 12:15 PM, December 01, 2008  

Pharmie in the first picture is like I love steve! in the second picture she's like Seriously, I like this guy? ha ha love the pictures, and wow, those radishes... are.....

Marlene 7:00 AM, December 02, 2008  

Great photos! Congratulations to you both and happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

Post a Comment

Thanks for your comments! Have a great day!

Twitter

Follow steveinaspeedo on Twitter

Facebook Fan Page

All content and original images copyright 2006 - 2024 by Steve Stenzel, AKA "Steve in a Speedo." All Rights Reserved.
Want to use something seen here? Just ask - I don't bite.