The Dog Daze 5k is a first-year event and organized by CRC’s own Patrick Hall, owner of Dog Daze dog care services and Tour de Columbia regular. Proceeds from the race go to benefit the Animal Mission of the Midlands, a local nonprofit providing low-cost spay/neuter, microchipping & vaccines to local animals. Coordinating the event is race director extraordinaire and swag master Erin Roof of GRIT endurance.

 

I was excited about this one, primarily because it uses the Sweat it Out course. While Sweat it Out had a fast route, the heat of its June race date definitely put a damper on throwing down a good time. My only time racing this course in cool-ish weather was doing the virtual SIO in mid-May 2020, a legendary throwdown with Sean Higgins, Randy and Pete O’Boyle. I ran a great time, though was brutally and epically blue shoed by Higgins in the final stretch. It still hurts. Luckily, Higgins was running in Prosperity this year as not to perpetuate my trauma. 

Although I was excited to see where my race fitness was at, I had originally thought I would race with my dog Brady. He is my Strava buddy and is an integral part of all my sesqui walks since we got him from Final Victory shelter in August. Unfortunately, I’ve found Brady’s social skills with other dogs are slightly less than optimal. As in, I usually have to hold him back like a rabid pit bull if any dog remotely enters our airspace. Consequently, I felt like managing him with 50+ other canines would probably not be in anyone’s best interest. Plus, he’s way more interested in poop and rolling in dead things than the 6ish minute pace I was hoping for.

 

I showed up my customary hour early and the weather was pretty perfect – 37 degrees and not much wind. I slogged a couple of miles, some with Shannon and  President Roy, and was feeling pretty good. Portapotty lines were short and the visit was productive. My uber-nerdery was even pleased with the cool Teddy Roosevelt bio that I found in the Woodlands Park mini library.  Ideal warmup. What could go wrong?

 

I strolled to the start line with my main goal of breaking 20 minutes again. I was back in marathon training, putting in the long runs, even throwing down a 50k a few weeks ago at Harbison. Fitness should be decent. There seemed to be a fair number of beasts on hand, so I took a couple of steps back from the front. I mean, I’m all about toeing the line, but these frisky gen Z-ers were going to stampede me if I lined up first row. Brandenburg was there with dog in tow, so I figured he might be a good pacer. 

 

With the start, I took off pretty hard. Or at least I thought. The top two young dudes instantly gapped the field, but even old men like Brandenburg were immediately kicking my ass. Hopefully I could stick to my normal negative split strategy and catch him in the end, like so many beautiful race moments from the past. The baseball stadium JB pass at the Run Hard 10k a few years ago still exists on my own personal highlight reel.

I spent much of mile 1 in the slipstream of a few singleted guys and a girl, probably twentysomethings. No one else was really around me. It was this setup that convinced me that I must be absolutely killing it. I was riding high, cruising past Meadowfield elementary and about 80 percent sure I was close to 6 minute flat pace. Hell, I was going to flirt with the 18s at this rate. We turned onto Macon Rd for the first of two out and backs off of Galway. As I approached the mile 1 mark, I was nervous that I might have gone out too hard, since surely I’m right at 5:59 and …BEEP…MILE 1 – 6:30.  WTF??? Well, apparently I am considerably less fit than I thought. I mean, I’ve probably run 500 5ks and I’ve never been so off from my expected pace.

I’m already in full Debbie Downer mode and then some random guy passes me. OH THE SHAME. I try and pick it up some, but we then turn back towards Galway and straight into the morning sun. I can’t even see anything despite my cool guy sunglasses I wore just for the start line selfie. Finally, I finish the initial loop and head out on the second one on Saye Cut, a straight out-and-back. The leaders are already heading toward home and are absolutely killing it. I am totally by myself at this point, and I can’t even see Brandenburg. I make it about three quarters of the way to the turnaround cone and JB is already coming back toward me. Dammit. Rounding the turn, I am shocked to see the pale presidente himself – Roy-  is on my tail! OH GOD NO. I can’t deal with getting Shelleyed too.  Honey Badger and Shannon are definitely in the mix as well, so I desperately try and ramp up the pace. I still feel like I’m going fast but Garmin spits out a 6:32. Clearly, I am not setting a PR today, but maybe I can eke out a super-fast last mile. Yeah, so that wasn’t really happening.

I get back on Galway, but I’m still all by myself. Brandenburg has fallen back a hair, but it doesn’t look good for me to catch him. Plus, the only hill of the course right before Meadowfield officially puts a fork in me. I try and blast out a good downhill finish, but my identical 6:32 3rd mile split says I only maintained pace. I throw down a weak kick at the end just to rule out getting a CRC executive beatdown or a sneak Honey Badger attack.  I flop across the line in 20:17, strangely still good enough for 2nd masters. I guess all the fast old guys went elsewhere. 

 

The post race party was classic GRIT with real (non breakfast) tacos from Cantina 76 and ceramic awards made by Pat’s wife, Jessica. Overall winners got platters and age groupers got coasters, while everyone got custom ceramic finisher medals. Really cool and unique! 

In the overall, Evan Lessard took the in in 15:55, edging out Shawn Wiler at 16:05. Brandon Wilson was 3rd. Isabella Crowe won the women’s race in 18:18, with Kristen Chery and Anna Gibbs rounding out the podium all under 20 minutes.

 

Male masters winners included two old psychiatrists and the aforementioned CRC chief executive. Shannon Godby took 1st place in female masters, with Barb Brandenburg 2nd and Susan Sweir third.

 

Female age groupers: Cooper Robbins won the 11 to 14 in 21:35. Hayden Hall was 2nd in the 15-19. Meg Hicks was 2nd in the 25-29, with Ashley Breuer 3rd. Sara Kozar was 3rd in the 30-34. Korinne Collins was 2nd and Amanda Smyrl 3rd in the 35-39. Violet Beets won the 40-44, while Ashleigh Carpenter was 3rd . Stefanie Hauser was 2nd in the 45-49. Wendy Homeyer took 3rd in the 50-54. Lynda Leonardi was tops in the 55-59. Colleen Towery on the 60-64. Beverly Breuer, Betty Floyd and Teresa Harrington swept the 65-69, while Lynn Grimes, Helene Lipe and Diane Freemen did the same in 70-74. Martha Aultman was champion of the 75-79.

 

Male age groupers: Tyler Darnell was 2nd in the 35-39. Marty Wentzel and new masters runner Antjuan Seawright took the top 2  in the 40-44. Michael Smyrl won the 50-54. Brian Currna was 3rd in the 55-59 . Phil Smith and Son Nguyen went 1-3 in the 60-64. John Bradley was 3rd in the 65-69. Harry Strick was 3rd in the 70-74.

 

Notable finishers: Lauren Duck, Darci Cannon, Pippa Kenagy, Betsy Theriot, Lance Towery, Lisa Smarr, Gretchen Lambert, Ben Homeyer, Jenny nance, Rick Gibbons, Stevie Dee Dukes (also the Trader Joe’s raffle winner!), Lois Leaburn, Kara Blaisure, Pete Poore, Michael Duck , Maren Duck, Waverly Duck, Jennifer Reeves, Heather Hawn, Heather Herndon, Joe Leonardi, Sloan Hall, Jamie Zug, Karen Vidra-Zug, Kerry Stubbs, and Margie Shelburg. Let me know if I missed you – drachtungbaby@yahoo.com

 

OH, AND CRC WON THE TEAM EVENT – GIANT PRETZELS FOR ALL!!!

https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/188345