We Support Our Troops 5k

The fourth annual We Support our Troops 5k was a quiet little race. I’m puzzled at the lack of runners in the local phoenix running scene. I know the P.F. Chang’s Marathon is only a week away and maybe that’s the reason there were so few talented runners. I finished seventh in the race and didn’t even break 23 minutes. I’m running the half marathon next week but see no harm in running this weekend. If my mileage for the day is too small I’ll simply increase my warm up or cool down distance…but as per the norm, I digress.
This race takes place at the Reach 11 recreation area that sits on Tatum road just south of the Loop 101 and just North of the canal. The area is a horse lover’s park with ample parking and paths, unfortunately there was ample horse exhaust as well. I have run races at this location several times now and it seems like a good location. Today was a new start and finish location from what I’m used to but most of the course was paths that I’ve run before. Besides a small amount of access road at the beginning and end of the race it is mostly a dirt path and could almost be advertised as a cross country race. The path is fairly firm but there are areas where washes cross and the footing gets iffy. I’m prone to ankle issues so I run with caution at times on this course.
The weather was cool but not overly cold. I know one of the folks I spoke to this morning that was born and raised here thought it was freezing, but it was about 50 degrees. I ran in shorts and a short sleeve shirt and although my hands did get a little cold I find this perfect running weather.
The T shirt that came with the race is a white short sleeve cotton T shirt with red, blue and black print. Another decent T shirt for the cost and again the awards were divided into 5 year age groups. I found it funny that I won an age group award for the second time in twenty three hours; then found it even funnier when the medal was identical. I guess somewhere out there is a trophy store having a sale on “Running” medals. I was hoping the gold, silver and bronze that they were announcing yesterday were the colors of the medals but the best I can tell they’re all the same. Since I’m now getting these little medals with regularity (technically at this pace (2 in 23 hours) I would get hundreds of them this year!) I’m debating if I want to segregate my finisher’s medals from my awards medals. I guess this is a good problem to have.
The same group who ran the New Year’s Day race I ran at Papago Park ran this race. The announcer talks the entire time before the race which isn’t nearly as bad as that sounds. The only trouble is when the race was about to start; he did the old ready set go verbally and many of the people didn’t realize we were starting. I’m not sure why I’ve run three races so far in 2010 and I haven’t heard a single starter’s gun or siren. Maybe I’m just picky…okay, not maybe, I am. I mean, at least get a whistle if you’re not willing to pay for a real starter device.
All in all, again I’m glad I got off my treadmill and got my butt out and about. I have no real complaints about the race other than the general lack of support from the running community. I will run this again next year and I hope to see more folks there.