The final race of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Family Fun Series, run by Willow Fitness, was held at Onondaga Lake Park two days after many of us raced one of the turkey trots in Liverpool or Baldwinsville. I’d set a PR at the latter and initially wondered if I’d recovered enough to run a decent time. Thankfully, I felt pretty fresh during warmups.
It was another cold day; many of us sheltered in the Barking Gull, which had been reserved for the race. With around 600 preregistered, the place filled up quickly.
The course was similar to that of the Lights on the Lake Race: an out and back race starting and finishing neat the salt museum. We had the benefit of daylight this time, but quite a few runners who tarried a bit too long in the Gull began to push their way into the waiting field; the chaotic start at Baldwinsville was fresh in my mind and I worried that we would see more of the same here.
Your author, obviously thinking about matters of great importance at the start. Photo by Willow Racing.
Most everyone played well at the start. As the name implies, ugly sweaters were encouraged, and many of the runners wore jingle bells, making for a colorfully noisy procession down the trail.
when I spotted the finishing bannerI felt good; I felt really good. I was holding an 8 minute pace in the first mile and I suspected that I could hold this pace for the next two miles.
Just past the 1 mile mark, a shoe came untied. The running gods were reminding me that I was a rank amateur. Face-planting on asphalt or running out of my shoe with two miles to race on a cold day weren’t appealing options, so I made a quick stop, then began an adrenaline-fueled charge back through the field.
The gods, unimpressed by my sacrifice, struck again just past the turnaround. I made sure the offending lace was secure this time, and began a second enraged charge back through the field, drawing some perplexed looks from a few runners as I’d passed several of them three times during the race.
I began my final push when I spotted the finishing banner. Then I realized it was part of the Lights on the Lake display; the real finish was a quarter of a mile away. I’d wasted energy needlessly, but I channelled enough anger into my legs to sprint for the finish.
Despite my sheer incompetence, I finished with a time of 25:50—my second consecutive personal record. In fact, I bettered my 5K time by 31 seconds.
Giveaways included drinks, some of the best chicken noodle soup I’ve ever had, a long-sleeved ugly sweater tech shirt, and a medal.
I put lock laces on the Cavu’s that afternoon.
Location: Onondaga Lake Park
Cost: $30
Swag: Shirt, medal, post race food
Events: 5K
Field: 587
Result: 91/587@25:50; 8:19; 6/17
Shoe: Hoka Cavu 2
