Band on the Run 5k

Doesn't everyone run a 5k as their first post half marathon recovery run?  Yeah.  Not exactly sure what I was thinking when I registered for a 5k just 6 days after the Columbus half but you gotta get back to running at some point, right? 

Katy and I originally signed up for a local 5k but unfortunately it was cancelled but then a fellow teammate, Lisa, let us know about another race called Band on the Run.  A 5k to raise money for a local high school's music boosters.  I got past the fact that it was for a high school that was my alma mater's biggest rival and registered anyways.

It was also going to be my first time running a 5k while pushing the stroller.  I've walked two 5ks with Megatron but I've never run.  Always being competitive with myself, I had to look up what my previous 5k time was before the race started.  I wasn't planning to go all out but given how much I've improved this year, and knowing that my last 5k was probably pretty slow, I couldn't help but keep that time in mind when the race started. 

It was a really small race and started next to a playground so Megatron was a happy kid!  There was even a kids' kazoo march right before the 5k.  They even had bibs for the little ones so I think this qualifies as Megatron's first official "race" on his own 2 feet.  The high school marching band leds the kids just around the playground for a few minutes while playing their school's fight song.  Megatron was so confused.  Haha. Once it was done,  I think he was perfectly content to get into the stroller and out of the wind.  I gave him his immunosuppressant at 9 am like always, right as it was time for the race to start (we are getting good at taking meds on the go!).  He had his breakfast and sippy cup so he was ready to sit back and relax!

Playing with his buddy Katy.

The high school bank warming up.

Kazoo in hand, ready to "race!"

We got started and instantly, me, Katy and Lisa were whining.  None of us had done anything since the Columbus half so we were all stiff.  We plugged along though, taking in the fall scenery, and hoping the skies wouldn't open up.  It was threatening raining and while Megatron had the weather shield over the stroller, I still felt like I'd get some stares if I was out running in the pouring rain with a toddler. 

The leaves are just hitting their peak colors!

Action selfie! I love this picture so much!  Such happy people!

As we made our way through the last mile, there were two men ahead of us.  They had a run stroller with them but the toddler had gotten out of the stroller.  She was up on her dad's shoulders for awhile.  Then they tried to put her back in.  Nope.  Then she was out walking.  Nope.  She was then being carried.  As we gained on them and then passed the guy pushing the stroller, I joked that it wasn't fair for him to beat me since he was pushing an empty stroller.  We could see the finish line and I know Katy and Lisa were grumbling as I picked it up a little.  Oops.  The dad started to run faster...while carrying the little girl.  So I started to run faster.  As did the guy pushing the empty stroller.  There we were, having a "sprint" to the finish.  Two dudes, two strollers, two toddlers and me.  It felt ridiculous.  Haha!  I backed off and ultimately the guy with the kid finished before me but I did beat the guy with the empty stroller.  There was even a finish line video.  Check it out starting around 20:21.  You can see the guy carrying the little girl, another guy, then me and Megatron (with me in the blue jacket and white hat), then the guy with the empty stroller and then Katy and Lisa, who were probably rolling their eyes at my back.  Haha.

Megatron got a banana for all his hard work.  Not really...he's actually allergic to bananas.  He's a great sherpa though and likes to hoard things in his stroller.

And while all of that was happening, I pulled off a 5k PR.  My 4th PR in a span of 6 weeks.  I went from 41:42 more than 3 years ago (I hate 5ks, which is why I don't go many!) to 35:53....with a stroller!  BIG TIME!