Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Oddness in Auburntown
I stood next to the window, drinking my coffee along with a bottle of water. I was waiting for my partner in running crimes, Nicky Balduf. Earlier in the week, she decided that I needed to race a 5k while I was feeling fit. I on the other hand was not quite sure if I wanted to get back to racing so soon. I had just come off of two weeks at Brevard Distance running camp where I was averaging around 55 miles a week. I felt fast. Yet, I have a long cross country season ahead of me at Carson Newman. I decided that I would just train through it and do it anyways. We had searched 5ks on the internet and had decided to run one in Auburntown, TN, mostly because it was close. She arrived on time at 6:00 a.m.
We knew we were going to Auburntown, but there was no specific directions. We figured there would be signs once we got into town. Thomas, my tom-tom, got us safely to Auburntown by 6:30. There was no signs for this 5k. I was not worried, Auburntown is only about 3 miles long. So we continued to drive and soon we are out of Auburntown and still no sign of this 5k. We turned back around and proceeded to do this two more times before finding the park.
We finally found C.S. Hawkins park and in a small pavilion there was a table and a man. We just assumed this is where we would sign-up. Nicky asked the man very politely if this was the place for the 5k.
“I have no idea where the 5k is” he responded. We soon learned that he lived out of his car and well there was something a bit wrong mentally with him. “I am 1-8th Cherokee” he told us and attributed this problems to this. By this time, we were both very hydrated so we quickly found the port-a-potties. We saw a man running by like he was warming up and Nicky tried to get this attention but she was ignored. So we snuck back to the car and tried to follow where the runner went. We noticed arrows on the ground and followed them bringing us to the start.
We registered to the race and looked around noticing that there were very few runners there. As we lined up on the start line, the group did not grow. Overall, there was about 20 runners. The top 5 in both men’s and women’s got recognized at the end. Nicky and I knew we had it made, there was only 4 women. Before the course, the starter who only had one arm, briefed us on the course saying, “This course is certified by the mayor, which is me”.
He began the race and started his watch. The course was nice with rolling hills that brought me through the beautiful scenery of the town. I ended up third overall and first female. Coming through the line, I expected to hear my time only to find out that the mayor’s watch had gone out and I had to keep my own time. Nicky never did find out what her time was for she was not wearing a watch.
After the race, Nicky and I went to go sit in the creek only to be told by one of the locals that ran who had a long grey beard that “The sewer runs into about a half a mile down”. We get this panic look on our faces only to be told, “I’m must kiddin”.
We got out of the creek and changed into our shirts (that depict the one armed mayor) to drive home. As we were leaving we got asked, “Aren’t you staying for the fish fry, it starts at 10:00”. We quickly shook our heads no and told we might be back later. It was by far the oddest race experience I have ever had.