BRATS Frozen 5k

So once again, the BRATS Frozen 5k rolled around and Heather, the kids and I decided to partake.   Last year, I came in 3rd in my age group with a 20:03 time however this year, I was incredibly out of shape and after being diagnosed with two hip labrum tears in mid December (MRI arthrogram), I really hadn't put to much time into training.  I had run no more than 8-10 miles per week for the last few weeks and pretty much took off November and part of December.  So we arrive at the Freedom Center and I hit the potty, as usual - and shake of the normal 5k nerves.  I met up with Nick Reed who I met last year.  He won the race last year and I totally expected him to take it down this year.  I went for a 1 mile run, it was raining outside and was about 28F...however, it felt colder...Finally, the kids, Heather and I meet up at the start and were off.

Kids pre-race

Heather with Moms Run This Town Gainesville/Woodbridge/Manassas

 This year, they had moved he course around and it was actually much better.  I took off and my first mile was 6:34, not good, not bad for not running at all....the second mile I died and ran at 7:01...just pitiful....the last mile was a little like the first and was 6:46...rounding the turn at the top, I sprinted past a bunch of guys in my age group to take the 3rd place AG award with 20:27.   To be some type of tough guy, I wore my Oil Creek 100 t-shirt...mentally, it gave me the edge...lmao...no seriously, I just felt like wearing it.  All in all the race was wet and slippery with snow still on the ground.

 Poor Nic slipped on the ice and rolled his ankle but it is getting better.  He was a trooper and finished the race even after Heather offered to let him short cut back to the finish.  Zach had a decent race, but the conditions were pretty icy so he didn't get his best time and just missed out on placing in his age group although he did place top 5.

  Overall results, I came in 39th out of 447 and 3/16 in my age group.

Not a bad run but would like to actually train one year and see how I do. 

Nic and Zach recovering and warming up with some hot chocolate