Yesterday we ran our second 5K for the year – the Antioch Run for Freedom 5K! Antioch is the town just west of us, so it took less than 20 minutes to get there, and the race didn’t start until 8:00. Woo hoo for not having to wake up early (in fact, I slept in a bit).

I’ve spectated this race once but never run it. It’s put on by a local bank (State Bank of The Lakes) and runs on rolling country and residential roads. It was a nice, quiet course, with a few people out spectating and running their sprinklers for the runners.

We arrived around 7:40, walked a bit to “warm” up, then lined up. It already felt really intense in the sun – it was 75°F when we started with a dew point of 68°F, eek (it was 80°F when we finished).

I was worried we’d have to do a lot of weaving at the start, but we didn’t have to do much at all!

We started in a residential neighborhood with a bit of shade, then went to a open country road that was all downhill (woo hoo!) and in the sun, then wove around (and up and down, mostly in the sun) in the neighborhood for the last two miles.

I felt fine, but the heat and sun really got to Steven, and he was starting to get goosebumps in the third mile! Goosebumps are a sign of heat exhaustion! No bueno! We took a couple walk breaks in the last mile (and one in the second mile).

We had positive splits (10:58, 11:12, 12:14) and finished in 35:52, which is faster than the 5K we did a month ago!

After the race we talked to Terry, an old friend of ours (there were some people there from the running club I was in years ago), got waters and apples, stood by the cooling fan for a bit, then hit the road! Steven felt better after getting more water and cooling down.

It was nice to do a local small race without a lot of fanfare or logistics, and to leave the house around 7:20 and be back by 9:10!

I hope we keep the 5K trend going!