Gobbler Hobbler 10K update and is this really Fall?

Wow, what a turnout today at the Gobble Hobble 10k. Last year only 400 participants and this year it doubled to 800. My wife Michele signed up as a volunteer and along with my oldest daughter took off from home early to help out with the race day preparations. I was lagging a little behind at home this morning so I left about 15 minutes later arriving at the race location about 8:15am for a 9:00am start.

The first thing I noticed was the number of cars that were already there when I pulled in. This run also included a 1 mile fun run along with the 10k which brought out many for their first run along with many locals from the Oswego area.

After seeing my wife and daughter helping out with the crowd it made me proud to be part of the crowd participating in the run. I love that they volunteer to help around a sport that I have learned to really love. It allows us to spend family time together in a way that we all enjoy. They were busy directing runners to either the 10k or 1mile line, giving them information and showing them to the numbers and t-shirt pickup area.

I picked up my number and was made aware that several of our friends had already arrived so I headed over to find and greet them. Two of the first people I seen were Matt and Krissie Brown. Matt, I have mentioned before is a finisher of the Chicago Marathon and we have run together a number of times. I was very happy that they were there and that Matt would be running the 10k with me today. I also got to meet one of my friends from Daily Mile named Scott. Scott has run a few marathons including Chicago and New York (probably a few others, forgive me Scott), and it was  pleasure to meet him in person and have a chance to talk to him briefly about his runs and goals.

While still inside the community center before the race, I also noticed our friends Darrin and Angie Johnson. Angie started the Couch to 5K program earlier this year from the Cool Running website and is progressing vary well. I don't know if Darrin has run too much as he has been getting over a back injury, but he is a fire fighter and was urged into running the 1mile fun run with his wife Angie today. I could tell there was a little bit of nervous excitement (if thats what you want to call it) before the race. After all, this was the first event for them and it is always somewhat exciting to see what goes into putting a race together and figuring out where to go, etc. when you attend your first event. I was very happy for them to be joining in on the run and looking forward to talking to them afterward. We had previously made plans to have pizza tonight with them and enjoy some social time together at their home. Darrin is serving up his famous firehouse pizza (can't wait!!!).

I also got to see to other friends, Brian Hauser and Mary Maher who I really only talk to on facebook most of the time. However, Brian has been running races for a long time and I always look forward to getting running advice from him and seeing him run, he is truly an amazing runner and I believe finished the 10k today with a pace under 7 minutes per mile. Wow! Mary is a triathlete that has done racing in local area as well as nearby states and ran in the recent Hot Chocolate 15k as her longest run so far. She is very dedicated toward her riding/running/swimming and is working toward longer runs all the time.

Seeing Francisco de los Santos and his wife Genoveva on the way out to the start line was a surprise too. Francisco is the principle at Brady Elementary school where my wife and Matt's wife teach.

Wow, can you keep this all straight? I think if I would have recruited all these people to work with me as a team today we all could have set personal records.

The race started off like most races do at a pretty fast pace around 7:50-8 per mile.  I checked my pace several times during the first mile slowing down gradually as not to drop back too far but knowing that if I started this fast, that I wouldn't have anything left at the end. Matt and I ran together passing mile 1 at 9 minutes and some change. That is when Matt said to me, "If we were running the one mile race, we would be done now." I thought that was pretty funny and we both talked back and forth about how one mile is not a short distance and even for us back in the early spring of this year it seemed a lot longer than what it was now. Matt and I had ran the course the week before and knew that the course was going to take a turn from the subdivision streets to the bike path soon which was much narrower. We made our way to mile 2 and ran past the first water stop up over a small hill (Matt called it Heart Break Hill, as in the Boston Marathon) which was more of a speed bump and off to mile 3. After we passed mile 2.5 or close to it, we see the first of the leading runners heading back toward us literally or what looked like they were literally sprinting. They stormed past us in the other direction and had to be on the way to a course record. Amazing! I have to give them credit, they really showed amazing athleticism and running spirit.

Getting closer to the turn around point, I saw Brian Hauser coming from the other direction running strong and we gave each other a high five. He was looking good and finished the race setting a new personal record for himself as well. Still we ran and could see the turnaround at mile 3.1, another person yelled out "Hey Frank!" but I wasn't sure who it was before we made our turn at the half way mark. As we made our turn Matt made another simple statement that gave me a laugh, "Ready to run a 5K?" he said as we started out quest back toward the start line. Mile 3 to 4 was at a slightly higher pace as we passed a few runners but still managed to stick together. It was at that point I saw Francisco running with his wife and they looking like they were doing well nearing the half way point in the race.

Matt and I slowed slightly at mile 4.5 for the last water break and I walked while we took in some liquid for the run back. That is where I felt the sense that my legs didn't have much left and that the rest of the run would prove challenging. Matt took off running after a brief walk and I kept walking a bit longer thinking it would give me a chance to prepare for a push at the end.

I could see Matt up ahead all the way to the last straight away to the finish and never managed to catch up to him. Matt finished 21 seconds ahead of me at 56:32 and I finished in 56:53. We had a really good run in perfect weather conditions today. I was wondering why my legs felt so worn out toward the end of this 6 mile run and then remembered I had completed an 18 mile long run last Monday which could have prevented me from giving 100% and becoming tapped out earlier than usual. Overall though I improved my personal record by 2 minutes for the 10k and I am happy with the results.

The run today felt like a combination of meeting with a bunch of friends and having a great run. Being able to celebrate in your friends accomplishments meant a lot. Watching some of them set new personal records and also see what you hope your abilities will allow you to be some day really are motivating.

Today was the last race I currently have scheduled before my marathon in January. Several of my friends asked me when it was and how was the training going. I know the training the last several weeks are long miles but there are really only 3 long, long runs left. One more run at 18 and then two at 21 miles before the taper to race day.

At the end of the race today I gathered again with friends and my family to watch most of the finishers come in and grab some Mylo-Plex Vanilla, water and take a look at the "Walking Pancakes". Yes, I only took a look and find out what they actually were. "Walking Pancakes" as the race brochure calls them are actually a couple rolled up pancakes in a disposable cup that has syrup in the bottom. I was told that they were not very tasty and I wasn't actually hungry at that point so you guessed it, I skipped it.

And, as the awards were being announced my wife made a comment that the last finisher was coming into the finish line. I looked over to see the older man that walked the whole course with a cane and left the award area to go congratulate him. I walked over and told him that he did a great job and he was amazing for accomplishing what he set out to do. Then his granddaughter came over and he said "this is my granddaughter that finished the race about an hour before me. He also told my wife she should walk the race with him next year that it gets lonely out there walking the 6 miles all by yourself. I say to that gentleman, what an accomplishment you have made! What an inspiration you are to so many! You show that you don't have to win the race to be the most influential person participating in the race. You show us that being there for those you care about is what matters and I don't know this mans name, but sir, you deserve a trophy today. YOU sir, I hope felt the gratitude of all those finishers before you. I hope you realize what it meant to me when I seen you cross the finish line holding your cane in celebration of your finish. YOU motivated me to continue my quest and showed me that the road, no matter how long can be conquered.

Well, that concluded the race today. I look forward to completing my training and as I walked back to my truck that I had parked about a block away, I couldn't help but reflect on what a change that running has made in me through other people either directly or indirectly. Very inspiring...and I am also inspired by those before me that have kept the local races in small communities going strong.

A special thank you to all the volunteers that help to make this race possible today. Thank you, without you this race and all the others would not be possible.

Tread lightly,

Mouserunner
Twitter @fhzwart
Please help me send a seriously ill child to a Team Hole in the Wall Camp.