Newport Polar Bear Plunge & Resolution Run 5k Race Report (#1 of 14)

Race #1 of our 14 in 2014 Race Series. Time: 46:29

I had really enjoyed my first 5k race back in 2012 in Petaluma at the Clover Cow Race and had wanted to do another one. I did a 4.25 in 2013 (The Donut Dash), but this was my first of 2014. Eventually I paired with a friend and we began running about a race a month, with the goal of running 14 races in 2014!

For this first race, I had spent the previous six months walking and trying to run around my neighborhood. My knees were feeling much better and I was feeling more confident going into this race.


There I am in the pink about a 1/3 from the left.

It was about this point I was starting to think this whole idea was very bad!

 

Newport is over 2 hours away, and I had to leave my poor beagle at home for the race- leaving at 4 or 5am to get there on time. It was freezing cold, right on the water front, and there were like no racers. It wasn't chip timed, and everyone was a local. I was dismayed to find that they were literally using a stop watch as runners crossed the finish, and after the race, my time was recorded as being TEN MINUTES shorter than what I had run. Yeah right.

The race was hard, and I was one of the last people to finish. In fact, I think I was 2nd or 3rd from the last, which was a walking guy. I felt bad for him because he was just trying to enjoy himself, but with out 30-50 racers, and him just strolling, everything was packed up by the time we got to the finish, which I also found fairly rude.

I remember having this plan of throwing my phone, keys, garmin and heart rate monitor off before I jumped in the water.

Uh, I sort of forgot.

I got the jacket and keys off, but I forgot about the rest. Luckily I didn't ruin anything!

 

 

The local news shoved a camera in my face right when I came out of the water and was spitting everywhere. They wanted my New Year's Resolution, right then! I was still spitting everywhere, which felt very awkward, but I said what I always say, which is: To give people compliments where compliments are due. It doesn't cost me anything to give them one, and makes the other person feel great. I always want to strive to do better on that one.

 

After the race, we were supposed to have free food and a pint from Rogue Brewery. Having been one of the very few people who jumped in the OCEAN at the end of the race, I definetly wanted both. Unfortunately, there was basically no food left and no seats. I scammed one finally and put in my drink order. 30 minutes later, I'm sitting, starving, no drink still. I finally see the waitress bring it out, and an old lady SPRINTS to the bar and grabs it. I KNEW it was not hers and I got very mad. I just decided I would take one off the tray too, and just as I did the waitress saw me and yelled at me. I was so mad. I told her what happened, and she wanted to confront the old lady! The waiter who originally took my order ran back and got me another drink, which was nice, and he was at least prompt about it--- I got it back in less than 10 minutes. Overall, the race was fairly badly run, and was being run by a husband/wife/kid team. I wouldn't do a race with them again in all likelihood.  (But I am glad I did it!)

 

There I am in the blue shirt, soaking wet hair, feeling annoyed!