Race 52: Go OTR 5k

Kayla and I have run the OTR 5k for each of the last three years.

Kayla didn’t run this year, as she is still on the mend, but she didn't seem to mind spectating and checking out the City Flea while I warmed up.

Each year we've had a great time as the OTR 5k combines a race and a festival into one event. Typically all of this takes place on a beautiful May morning. (This year it was overcast and drizzling, but that actually made for good running weather).

 

Another change from the usual was the shift in the race's headquarters from the Gateway Quarter to Washington Park. This was a change for the better, as there was even more space to enjoy the festivities, including the Cincy Brass, a Hudepohl beer truck, and some guy with bubble-making sticks.
 

The Race

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a racing standpoint. My last 5k attempt--the Bockfest 5k in February--was a total disaster. As I do before races, I scanned the starting are for any familiar faces.

I didn't see anybody I recognized, but there was one guy with a track foot tattooed on his thigh, so I figured he would give me a good run.

With the headquarters shifted west to Washington Park, the new start line was on Elm Street just south of  Magnolia slightly down from the City Gospel Mission.

Before the masses of runners migrated from Washington Park, I was warming up across from the CGM as a group of residents went about their Saturday morning routine. If you've spent anytime on Elm Street, especially in the summer, you know that the block encompassing CGM is a neighborhood gathering place, where people bring out lawn chairs, sit on stoops, and otherwise enjoy their shady surroundings.

As the start of the race drew nearer, the 1,100 runners pushed their way up Elm Street, seeming to swallow up the Saturday morning regulars.

Kayla's picture of the start line captures the density of the participants:
 

When the race set off, I quickly found myself in the middle of the masses, as a group of over-eager sprinters decided to charge forward at full speed. 

I wasn't too concerned about getting my butt kicked over the first few meters and by the first turn onto Twelfth Street, I was pretty much alone in first place. 

From there I was able to enjoy my favorite part of the race, which is the crowd support from throughout the neighborhood.  Along Main Street people were yelling from their apartment windows as others had come down to the street to show support. 

For the first time that I can remember, in addition to a lead biker, there was also a lead "Segwayer" as I made my way to the first mile marker.

The crowd support continues along Central Parkway as cars headed in the opposite direction honk and folks who are at the coffee emporium cheer as well. 

By the final mile, I was pretty confident that the victory was sealed, so I took in the scenery along Race and enjoyed the final push. 

After the race, Kayla and I shared a Christian Moerlein OTR and listened to music. 

While racing is always a good time, it is about time to get back to our regular Run 52 schedule. Fortunately, Kayla has made it up to 4 miles of running, so it is only a matter of time before we hit the streets of East Price Hill!

Race 52: Bockfest 5k (Kayla’s championship morning)

As soon as we heard about the Bockfest 5k and Christian Moerlein beer series, Kayla and I were ready to go. Two of our greatest passions are (1) beer and (2) running so this was right up our alley. Based on the early March date, we planned for the Bockfest 5k to be a “rust-buster.” After a long winter of training and no racing we wanted to figure out how fit we were. Bockfest would be my first race since the Columbus Marathon (October 21st) and Kayla’s first race since Thanksgiving Day. Kayla was especially excited, as for the first time she earned a spot in the Running Spot’s rankings.

Game Face

When we arrived downtown our first challenge was to find parking. Fortunately, I tapped into my parallel parking skills and landed this spot on Orchard. In hindsight, this was probably my most impressive athletic feat of the day.

 From our parking spot we headed across Main Street to the Bock Hall, which housed the Bockfest 5k registration and festivities. The logistics were great: we registered and checked our bags in just a few minutes. Making our rounds in search of free stuff, we stopped at the Bruegger’s promotional table and scored some coupons for breakfast sandwiches and coffee. Kayla also got a pre-race picture with this ram. Little did we know she would return to the beast as a champion.

Before

After

Despite my recommendation, Kayla usually only does a 10 minute warm-up; however, today, the frigid conditions inspired her to join me for the full 20 minutes. Over those 20 minutes we covered a good portion of the course, which featured a significant hill on Liberty followed by a nice descent to Central Parkway. Any course in Over-The-Rhine will feature a nice blend of classic architecture and new development--this course was no exception. Eventually, we looped back up Main Street and it was time to race.  

Donnie’s Race

My race was what those of us in the business call a shitshow. Going into Bockfest I decided I would be happy with any time under 16 minutes. I should have added a minute. As soon as the horn sounded, the cold air shot down my lungs, my legs felt heavy, and the leaders had a huge gap after a few seconds. I was just surviving out there, and I didn’t even do that well. I let anyone who was near me pull away without even fighting back and ended up in an uninspired 5th place.

Some of the positives from the race were the enthusiastic water station volunteers on Walnut, who shouted words of encouragement in the toughest part of the race. Kayla agreed that these volunteers put together an awesome stop, as she was equally energized by their enthusiasm. The second positive was getting to the finish line, so I could figure out how Kayla was doing out there.  Finally, running a terrible race always sets a nice low bar for the next performance.

 Kayla’s Race

As soon as I saw Kayla charging down the homestretch in first place, any residual disappointment from my own race was gone. She approached the finish with authority, and, most importantly, without another woman in sight. Recently, her stride has looked as good as ever and today she glided over the pavement effortlessly. The announcer called her name just a few feet from the finish line and then a few strides later she was officially champion.

Before I could get to her, a reporter pulled Kayla aside to snap a photo and ask a few questions. Next, she was whisked over to Channel 5 reporter Kyla Woods, for a live Tv interview followed by a taped segment. Kyla is Kayla’s favorite news personality, so, as this transpired, I knew it would be the highlight of her victory. Unfortunately, my phone was checked along with my bag, so I couldn’t get a picture. In typical Kayla fashion, she downplayed her running prowess, explaining that she didn’t run for a team, wasn’t a serious runner, and had not run in college. She did mention Run 52, so we may have a few new readers! She also, graciously, mentioned her coach.

Donning her “Champion” sash, Kayla received tons of congratulations as we returned to the Bock Hall. After retrieving our bags we used a couple of tickets to grab some cold ones and wait for the awards. As you can see my beer (Emancipator), pictured right, disappeared quickly.

When the announcer called her to the stage, Kayla collected her championship bounty:

Today was a nice break from our usual Saturday morning routine. Seeing Kayla win a big Cincinnati race was awesome. Although she doesn't like to admit it, she is an incredibly talented athlete with unbelievable drive.

We’re not sure what our next race will be, but we will definitely be at the next beer series race, which is the Little Kings Mile on May 3rd. In the meantime, we'll continue to make our way through the neighborhood roster. Tomorrow morning we’re headed to CUF for our 10th run.