Camp Loughridge Trail 5K

I've had a busy day today and just now have had a few minutes to post a little about Sunday's trail race. It was the Camp Loughridge Trail 5K. The proceeds went to the camp and scholarships for campers this summer, a worthy cause if you ask me. It was the 1st year for the event, and the folks putting it on did a great job carving out some new trails, marking the course, and all the other things involved with putting a race on.
This race was special to me since Jason and Jessie, my son and daughter-in-law, were doing their 2nd 5K with me, and it was their 1st trail race. They were excited as well, and Dana got to babysit Makenna, our precious grand baby!!



















My nephews Jeff and John were racing as well.
It was nice and warm at 3:00 in the afternoon when we toed the line. The signal was given, and away we ran. The trails were new, recently created and while scenic, they were pretty soft and I had trouble getting into a rhythm. I had ran a trail 5K the day before and the competitive side of me wanted to shave a few seconds off my time. At Saturday's race, I had stopped a few times to take pictures (and gasp for my breath!) but today since the hills were more gradual, I decided to forgo the Kodak moments in favor of maybe a faster race time. I did stop once to snap a quick picture where the trail curved around one of the small lakes.I plodded along, running as fast as my short legs would carry me. It seemed like there were a ton of runners ahead of me, and I tried to make mental assessments of who was ahead of me and still in my age group. Finally, I broke out into a clearing and headed up the last 1/4 mile, which was UPHILL! A few of my friends and family cheered me on. Maybe it was "mercy" applause, I didn't know. But I did finish in 28:03, besting a PR which dated back to...well....ummm...the day before.

After sucking some air, gulping down a bottle of H20 and scarfing an ice cream sandwich (yum!),
I took a few pics of friends as they finished.



Will sprints hard to the finish.


My buddy Allen smoked his friends Deon and Bobby in the race the day before, and wonders if they might sneak up and catch him. (Relax Alan, they stayed home and had their afternoon nap!)



It's a rare day when I beat either of my nephews John or Jeff to the finish line, but today I had John's number. Jeff was too fast for me, and finished a couple of minutes ahead. 








Jason hammers out the final few steps uphill to the finish line. Great job, Jason!









Jessie is all smiles after her finish.

The awards ceremony was about 200 yards away in an amphitheater. The age group awards were cross sections of a pine tree, branded with the CL logo, and brass plaqued with the place and age group. To our delight, Jason won 3rd in his age group.Then Jessie won 2nd in hers! WAY TO GO!!

The men represented TATUR well this day.Will placed in his age group, and took some wood home.Brian took 2nd in his division, but narrowly trailed Tomdog, who took yet another 1st place award home.


The Zombie himself actually beat out 6 other competitors and snared his very first 1st place age group award. Can I toot my own horn? Alan was third our age group, bringing the TATUR total to 5 awards.