Trinity Academy Reindeer Run 5K

I was itching to get back into marathon mode, but after my surprisingly good showing at the Passaic Valley Rotary River Run, I decided to try my luck at the third annual Trinity Academy Reindeer Run 5K in Caldwell on Dec. 7, a mere six days after the PV race.

This would be my shortest turnaround ever, but I felt good about my short game. 

It was chilly that morning, but dry - only days before two snowstorms would slick up the region - so footing was not a problem.

Much of the first half of the race, mostly a straight shot up Smull Avenue, was uphill - not steep, but enough of an incline to warrant some extra work.  If you have read my race accounts before, you know that I make my move on hills, but usually not so early in the race. Nonetheless, I went for it and, during the course of that first mile and a half, worked my way from eighth place to third.

By the time of the turn onto Mountain Avenue, I had a pretty good lead over the fourth placer, but the two guys ahead (clearly a couple of college track kids) were long gone.  Literally.  I could not even see them anymore. I was in third, but had no one to follow.  It was a good thing there were no more turns on the course because none of the cops and volunteers at the intersections had any interest in directing me where to go.  At each previous turn, I had to point in a direction with an expression on my face as if to say, "This way??"  (I was working too hard to actually talk.)

At the Mile 2 sign, I started fizzling, but with a mile of mostly flat and downhill to go, I dug deep and pushed hard.  I grunted an awful lot.

I refused to look back, but I had convinced myself that the person behind me was closing in, so I extended my legs as far as they would go on each turnover (my tactic at September's Heroes Run), even though I could feel the burn in my groin.

Up ahead, I could see the crowd of people, just before the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue.  I knew that was the end, but...

Where was the finish line?  All I could see was a wall of people and tables, but no chute, no clock, and yet again, no one pointing me in the direction of where to go.  And here I am barreling at them at a sub-6:00 pace.  So I yelled, "WHERE'S THE FINISH???"

Startled, everyone started pointing to my left, toward the side entrance of the academy where the finish chute had been set up.  That did not allow me time for a final kick, but with the way I sprinted down Mountain Avenue, I would not have had much anyway.  Besides, I nailed my finish at 18:35 - four seconds faster than six days prior - so who am I to complain?

I grabbed some water, coffee, a bagel and a banana and headed straight back to the course, cheering as many people as possible to their finish.  One of my favorite things about finishing early is being able to give a little something to the folks behind me.  I may have somehow managed to get myself in the top 10 percent of almost all my races, but providing some encouragement from the sidelines is one of the most rewarding things about it.

Speaking of rewards, what a day for swag and prizes! The registration came with a cotton long-sleeve T-shirt and the prize for the top three placers in each age group was a comfortable and cozy wool knit hat with the race's reindeer logo on it.

Even though I received my prize, I hung around for another hour for the award ceremony, since I came in third overall.  I think it is impolite to place in the top three and then ditch.  Heck, maybe I would get a medal.

As with the PV race, there were no medals, but instead I was given a $25 gift certificate to the Fleet Feet running store in Montclair (at the PV race, I received a $25 gift certificate to the New Balance store in Hasbrouck Heights), so the race almost entirely paid for itself!

Plus, my gift bag also contained another one of those hats.  I have long been opposed to duplicate awards (when the overall winners also win the age group awards), so I found one of the volunteers and asked them to find the fourth placer in my age group and give it to him.

What can I say, I was filled with the Christmas spirit and the satisfaction of another successful race - my fifth best 5K (out of 29 since 2006).