The Shamrock Run
I signed up a month ago not really thinking to much about it. Hell yeah I'll run it, it was a new years resolution to run all the races my company would pay for this year (schedule permitting) and the first one of the year was March 1st. The race is 8k, or 4.98 miles for us on this side of the pond. What I failed to realize, or more so failed to remember, is that I live in Buffalo NY and March 1st is cold. March 1st could be snow. March 1st is also windy time. Oh how I will not ever forget.....
Anyway, I trained all month, hitting the gym, doing 5 mile runs and getting ready. I started training on Ash Wednesday, the same day I quit smoking and ran 5 miles in 52 mins or so. Next time I ran i chopped a min and a half off that...soon I had hit 5 miles in just under 46 mins and was stoked.
Today was race day, blowing snow, 15-20 mph winds, feel like temp or around 15 degrees and a goal of running the race in under 50 minutes. Road races are different, obviously, from the climate controlled runs in the gym. It's hard to pace yourself, you can't look to see how much further you have to go and you don't run in a strait line on the same grade the entire time.
Well, I crossed the finish line in 50:33 which was just above my goal, but they have tags that track you and I actually only needed 40:32 to finish!!!! I have to admit, I enjoyed the course and even though it was cold, it wasn't too bad. Don't get me wrong, running uphill against the wind was tough, but downhill with the wind towards the middle of the race made you feel like you were flying. Fun. I stopped three times, not for breathe, but for technical difficulties.
First off, my green sweat pants were falling off me, I couldn't keep them up on my ass, so I stopped about 1/4 of the way thru the race to "re-adjust". Then, I had to stop twice b/c my headphones fell out, heaven forbid I have to run to the sound of my lungs screaming for air ;-)
After the race, I felt like i was going to pass out, there were no ambulances around, so I walked it off.
The race isn't just for runners, hell no, this is south buffalo and the south side of any city should conjur up images of run down houses, white trash bars and fires burning in the street and S. Buffalo doesn't dissappoint.
Highlights of the day:
On the last mile of the race the strong smell of ganja overcame me as I passed some run down houses, can't blame them though; I hear getting high and watching a race is fun
After the race, I overheard a guy telling someone on the phone..."yeah I'm at the shamrock run getting drunk" Fun for runners and drinkers alike...
You don't need a cooler for your beer when it's 15 degrees outside, a plastic grocery bag with a random assortment of beer is the way to go
Cold? Light a fire in some yard of an abandoned house; hell, just light the house and warm everyone..selfish pricks
No room left in the yard to stand around? Filter into the street, screw cars, cars don't belong on the roads anyway...this is south buffalo, if you have a car, you're a prick anyway...
