4th Of July Physical Activity

It was with some trepidation that I signed up for the John Carson 2-miler this year: Groton was a disaster and I was not sure if I was permanently broken.

The race went well. I was dropped off at the start the perfect 30 minutes early. This was enough time to stroll around and then gradually warm up for 20 minutes. The day was hot, but not unbearably so and I was in a full sweat at the start. This is a good sign that you are properly warm for such a short race.

The first half-mile is a s-show, with lots of little kids placing themselves in the front of the 2,000 runner pack and able to maintain the pace for 200-300 yards and then stopping when they get tired. I was at 3:33 at the end of the first half-mile and happy with the pace even though it was three seconds slower than my goal of being under 14:00 overall. Between the crowded field and the generally uphill trend, these three seconds would be made back up.

The end of the first mile was right at 7:00. So I made up the three seconds, now to power my way in to the end! I finished in 13:47 for a solidly negative split. Not my best time, but better than last year and in the sixes. I was 10th out of 103 in my age/gender group.

I grabbed a water ate a wedge of watermelon, had a chat with Adam and Zach--who finished about a minute ahead of me and jogged home on the bike path, while munching on Lay's Potato Chips.

Cooled down and hydrated at home, showered, ate a bagel (that we picked up in the same plaza as the start of the race) and then got the potato salad made. Finally, with a heavy heart, I went to the basement to do my lifting: Tuesday is a lifting day, but not normally a running day, let alone a race day!

I decided I would be happy with 135 lbs in the clean and jerk. 115 lbs easy, 125 lbs equally easy, 135 lbs easy--success for the day, 145 lbs easy. 150 lbs, got tangled in the bar and dropped the weight, fine, try again. Made it easily. Okay, should I try the rare (made once this year) 155? Yes, try! D'Oh! Did not extend far enough and the bar was too far out in front of me to get fully under it. Try again. Effortless! If you get your weight and timing perfect, it makes a huge difference. I put it over my head and called it a day.

It was a day which would later feature hamburgers, bbq spareribs, potato salad and fireworks. So a very good day.