The Get in the Pink races are in their 7th year, and are held to benefit Share our Suzy, a foundation to help fund the costs of women battling breast cancer. It’s been one of my favorite races – it’s centrally located in Columbia, draws a big competitive crowd, and has been well directed by Alicia and Matt Buffum. I was worried this year that it wouldn’t be held, as the women’s shoe store that was integral in the beginnings of the race (Kicks) went under. Luckily the race has grown enough to survive with other sponsors.

My memory is a little hazy on this one, but I believe the race was originally just a 10k in its first year (2009, and the 5k was added the year after. I recall this because at the time, a 10k was “long distance” and beyond what I thought I could finish, so I didnt do the race in ’09.  The 5k holds some cherished memories – I had my fastest Blue Shoe kick ever in 2011 in the 5k, dipping into sub 4 minute pace in the last tenth, with William “Crazy Legs” Schmitz screaming at me,  to capture 3rd place. I had forgotten who was the victim of such an unceremonious Sasquatching until Steve Fink reminded me at this years race. It was him. Sorry Steve, I will would blue shoe my first born son if it meant a chance at overall glory. I also chased down Randy “don’t pronounce the H” Hrechko one year, and there was the year I tried to chase down Winston but we both almost got run down by an ambulance. He then outkicked me. I also battled it out with Tigs and Coke Mann in an epic struggle one year. Good times.

 

Notice I don’t mention any actual race times. The 5k actually isn’t too bad. You go flat to downhill in the first half and then come back up the whole second half except for a relatively flat finish. It’s easy to go out way too fast and die a thousand deaths on the return. My finish photo from the Coke/Tigs year (2010, above) is proof of that. It is conducive to some fast times, though.  The 10k…not so much. It’s pretty killer. You go even further downhill, all the way to the bottom of Kilbourne to Shady Lane, then you have to make up the climb in the last 2 miles. The temps for the race are usually on the warm side, making it even tougher with the longer distance.

I guess this is where I should say I didnt actually run the race this year. Anyone who knows me is aware that I have to be really injured or really sick not to pin a bib on Saturday morning. It was the former. I did 5×1200 repeats on Owens Field track on a Tuesday, got really tight, then decided to make a little too exuberant of a move out of my office chair the next day. Tweaked the hell out of my back and made it tough to walk, much less run. I make stiff and awkward a way of life but there was no way I could generate any speed. I actually did jog 3 miles that afternoon but it did nothing to loosen it up. So I’m on the disabled list for a few more days until I can get this back thing situated. Tigs was gracious enough to work on my back at the finish line area after the race. While free in terms of money, I knew I would be paying for this in embarrassing facebook pics, and sure enough there are already some out there. They can’t be any worse than the multitude of  my ugly race faces that exist in cyberspace.

I did show up and take pics though – below are the pics I already posted on facebook but I lightened up and cropped most of them since the shadows are so bad.

Taking the 10k overall win was SC racing legend Eric Ashton, who left the field from the get-go and cruised to a 34:18. Second overall was actually women’s winner Shawanna White, who has come all the way back from hip surgery and is tearing up the roads again. She clocked a 38:34. Second among the men was longtime age group rival Phil Midden, who I am glad to see is still 39. Stay young, dude!  New rival Toby Selix has already gone masters on me and took 3rd place. Among the women, Shannon Miller ran a  39:19 for 2nd place female and fifth overall. Strictly’s Linn Hall placed 3rd.

In masters, Coleen Strasburger crushed a PR in 50:58 to claim 3rd. She and Carol used a “divide and conquer” strategy instead of their usual Mayweather-Pacquiao  like  battles. Randy didnt have to worry about blue shoed footsteps this year, taking male masters over Ty Thomas and Rob Kriegshaber. In the age groups, Matt Pollard won the 25-29. Jennifer Lybrand did the same in the 25-29 and put the pressure on teammate Linn. She did miss an easy trophy hunt win at the Poultry fest race. I feel your pain, J. Luke Godwin clocked a 41:12 on this tough course for the 35-39 win. Scott Flicker was out for a jog and still took the 40-44 win. Ramesh Tippabhatla took the 45-49 men, with Pam Boggs winning among the women. Phil Togneri claimed the 50-54. Beth McCorkle placed 2nd in the women’s 50-54. Alsena Edwards crushed the 55-59 field by over 16 minutes. Brigitte Smith placed 2nd in the 65-69, with Peter Mugglestone taking the 70+.

In the 5k, Greenville’s Matt Shock of Pace magazine rocked a sub 16 and took the win, with Orinthal Striggles claiming second and Jamie Sires 3rd. Caroline Peyton blasted a 17:51 to win over EA’s Michelle Ziegler (18:05) and Strictly’s Erin Miller (18:24).  Masters was full of beasts with Eric Allers winning the mens division in 17:57 and Mike Hedgecock 3rd. Shannon Iriel continues her comeback with the female masters win in 20:04. Tigs was just behind in 2nd in 20:29. Age groups: 12 year old Adam Bernthal followed up last week’s impressive Rose Fest 5k with an even better 19:41 to take the 11-14. In the 30-34, Jason Dimery took 1st with Barrett Boozer 3rd. On the women’s side, Jamey Wilson crusied to first b almost 4 minutes. In the 35-39, the Yerg edged out Robert King 18:49 to 18:52, showing a return to form for him. Trophy blackjacked a 21 minute 5k and got called “Mc GAY ha” at awards, which will hopefully cause him to get back on the training horse. Strictly’s MC Cox easily took the women’s 35-39 in 19:32. Palmetto 200 teammate Joel Pierstorff is racing very well again, claiming the 40-44 in 19:40. Team Utopia’s Joyce Welch rocked a sub 23 and took the 45-49 win over Palmetto Runners’ Laurie Royson, who PR’d in 24:17. Jamie Duke was 3rd. Charlene Fink won the 50-54 women, with Travis Cowan and Tom Tanner going 1-2 among the men. Carol Wallace, sans Strasburger, claimed the 55-59 and breaking the 24 minute barrier. Pete O’ Boyle, Jim Williams and Mike Griffin swept the 55-59 men in a blazing fast category.  Mike Compton won the 60-64 with a 22:17. Albert Anderson is still crushing the age groups at 66 with a 22 minute time, Alex Ponamarev finished 2nd. Henry Holt is back with a sub 29 effort to take the 70+ at age 79.

http://www.strictlyrunning.com/RESULTS/15PINK.TXT