Peach Pace Races

Peach Pace 5K
April 10, 2010
Fort Valley, GA
Time: 23:51
Age Group: 5?
Overall: ?

Comments: For my second (and third) race of the day, I headed to Fort Valley, Georgia, after a short stop at home. The Peach Pace races were to be run through the peach and pecan groves of Lane Southern, a fruit packing company. I was looking forward to seeing my points hound friends, many of whom I knew had driven to Alabama this morning to run several of the Beulah races.

The weather had turned surprisingly warm. The air had a cool tinge to it, but the sun was brutally hot. After running part of the course as a warm-up, I decided that putting on sunscreen was a very smart idea. You saw plenty of trees on the course but no shade. The course did seem rather flat, but the majority of it was run on rocky dirt roads. Fun.

I made the tactical decision to not run the 5K too hard. I knew I would have no chance to place in the 10-year age groups anyway, especially having raced hard in the morning. I figured I would save up what I had left for the 10.5K later and hope that I saved more than everyone else. The 10-year age groups caused some humor at the starting line as different people were suddenly rivals. Bo Ryles tried to lead Roger Keel astray with directions as the race starter gave final instructions. I took some playful kidding about my outfit - intensely bright green with a bright orange hat. I told everyone I was an upside-down peach. Suddenly, we were off.

The race itself was fairly uneventful. I actually took water at the halfway point - unusual for me, but the heat of the day was surprising. The course wound through the groves, through a small building complex (housing for migrant farm labor, perhaps), and back to the finish line back behind the large Lane building. I had a decent sprint to the finish, managing to pass the same gentleman I had sprinted to the finish against at the Good Friday 5K. He wasn't interested in a race today, telling me he had nothing left. I understood - the surprising heat was tearing us all down.

As expected, I didn't place in my age group. My time was not too bad for taking it easy. I did my best not to wilt in the sun, hiding in the shadows of a semi-trailer parked near the finish as I waited for the next race.

Peach Pace 10.5K
April 10, 2010
Fort Valley, GA
Time: 53:34
Age Group: 2
Overall: 7

Award: Medal

Comments: The Peach Pace 10.5K was to follow the same basic course as the 5K. We were starting a little further along the road then would run the 5K loop twice, then run part of the loop again, cutting across on a small road between the groves. It looked like a boring, dusty time was in my future. I elected to do something I rarely do in races these days: I dug out my MP3 player and set up music to use during the race.

At the starting line I saw that many of my usual 35-39 friends from the Tracks were there, as well as some early-30s runners I did not usually have to worry about thanks to our ages. Suddenly my strategy for medaling in this race was looking silly. Oh well, I thought. I'll run as good a race as possible.

When the race started, I quickly put myself out near the front. I was in front of Tommy Union and Ben Wilton, an unusual occurrence for anytime during a race. I figured I would be seeing them later. I was right. I was nearing the 1.5 mile water station when Ben Wilton came effortless past me. I figured leading that fast man wouldn't last for long. Now, however, I would have to stay in my current position to have a chance of placing. I knew that at least one of the leaders was in his early 30s. If he didn't win overall, he was in my age group. Fun.

I settled back into my pace, which felt fairly decent considering all of the miles I had put in earlier. I tried to ignore the heat and dusty conditions and focused my eyes ahead. I figured I would be passed by Tommy at any minute.

I was surprised that there were no additional water stations on the course. I didn't really worry about it, knowing that I would pass by the original water station around the 4 mile mark or so. When I came up on the station, they were out of water. None of the volunteers said a word to me, just seemed to pretend not to see me looking for water. At this point in the race I was running in the top 10. Many runners would be coming up behind me, needing a drink in this hot sun. I hoped that more supplies were coming as I continued on.

Instead something strange started to happen. I could actually see Ben in the distance again. Wow, I thought, maybe I can actually stay fairly close to him. As we headed into the end of the second loop I realized that Ben was walking. As I turned the corner to head out for the shorter 3rd loop, I realized that I was going to pass him. I patted him on the back as I came by and exchanged a few words. Apparently the lack of water had really gotten to him. I understand. If I had pushed it in the first race, I would have been walking at this point too. I still expected Ben to appear behind me and pass right by. As I headed down the final stretch to the finish line I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough, he was still there. I decided I would continue at my current pace and turn back when I reached a fire hydrant a hundred yards ahead. When I glanced back Ben was much closer. Apparently he had gotten his wind back and was putting in quite an effort to beat me. I sprinted with everything I had left to the line. I managed to hold him off, finding out later that he had stopped sprinting when he saw that I had saved up a final burst. I really enjoyed the final little duel with him. He is a much better runner than I am - it took bad conditions, 3 races in one day, and a dry water station to allow me to barely finish ahead of him. Still, I'll take what I can get.

I finished 2nd in my age group. I waited forever for an award ceremony to start, finally deciding that I would just ask for my medal so I could get some peach ice cream from the main building and head home. Amenities were fairly bare-boned at this race, but the t-shirt was exceptional: great graphics and bright colors. I did leave very disappointed by the dry water station. More upsetting was that no effort seemed to be made to get water on the course for people. The race organizers were fortunate that no runner was seriously hurt.