More Fun Race Photos

Since I haven't raced in a while (2 weeks!!!) and I'm not racing for a long time (4 days!) I thought I'd toss out a couple more fun race photos. Last week was a nasty photo from Victory 5K. This week, Rocky's Run 8K from earlier in November.

This was a fun race on the U of MN's course (site of the Griak Invitational). I've watched the real runners race at Griak before, so it was great to get a chance to race on the same course, albeit much more slowly.

I wanted to run sub 30 minutes for the 8K (it's on the U's golf course and it's VERY hilly, so sub-30 for me would be solid). I went out aggressively at my goal pace and went through the 4K mark in 14:56, right on target for my goal. The 5K came in around 18:30, which is a pretty decent 5K time for me on a tough course like this. But then the wheels began to wobble. I struggled through the next 1.5K, but the last 1.5K or so I hit a major second wind and cranked it in for a time of 29:30ish. (We found out later the course was short by 0.08 miles, so I estimated that I'd still be right around or just under 30 minutes on a full course).

The best part of the race was that aside from being passed by Sits-In-The-Weeds Mike (who by the way needs to blog about his freaking sub 2:50 marathon at San Anton. I'm jus' sayin') at 2K, I was never passed during the race. And even better, I passed 2 people in the last mile including someone I had been trying to catch up to all race. I paid the price the following week at the State XC meet when racing 5 times in 6 weeks (the first being TCM) finally caught up with me.

All in all, a fun USATF XC series.

Now, for the promised Rocky's Run photos:

Chris coming out of the Jimmy Johns John... Later we ate at Jimmy Johns down the street (true story)

My camo racing flats helped me sit in the weeds during the race

Other highlights from the race:

• Kirk winning the MDRA Grand Prix in style during 5K
• Me locking my keys in my car, in the ignition! Thanks to AAA and Nick for bailing me out

Worst Photo EVER

Do not look at the photo unless you want to be momentarily blind. Nick, this photo should be your next Photo Friday winner.

Seriously, this one has it all: random chest hair, nasty hot dog (actually it was tasty), and shorts that are way too short. Not to mention the funky hair.

(taken at the Victory 5K/10K)

You Mean I Get PAID to do this???

So yesterday I spent the entire day wandering around Washington County doing inspections for a watershed district. While I spent a fair amount of the day crawling around storm sewer manholes getting dirty, most of the time I was walking through fields and parks. We always schedule these inspections for this time of year so that the flow is lower, but that usually means it's cold too. Not yesterday! 65 and sunny! And I got PAID!! I love my job!


But that's not really blog worthy. THIS is. I saw a couple things that I thought were just hilarious. First, this is a sign on a frontage road along I-94. Take a look at the detail on the brim of that farmer's hat. Pretty impressive I'd say.


Then there was this car at an Arby's in Woodbury. Come on, I know you like their coffee, but TWO bumper stickers? I hope Caribou is paying your gas or at least giving you a free latte. This brings up the larger question of shilling with bumper stickers. A lot of people have their favorite radio station's, band's or team's bumper sticker prominently displayed (I have a Twins sticker on my car, and YES, my car is TWINS TERRITORY). But there seems to be something different about putting a sticker from a big company like Caribou or Cub Foods on the back of the car. If it was a bumper sticker promoting the Seward Coop or Betsey's Back Porch, I wouldn't have a problem with it, yet with these big corporations, it just seems silly. You can see billboards for Caribou and Cub on the highway, do we need to see them on the car in front of us as well? You may "Love Your Cub", but does Cub really care?