Muddy Bullfrog 5k

Today was the 5th annual Bullfrog 5K. I think this is the fourth one I've run. This race is at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon, Ohio. I wasn't sure how the weather was going to turn out. But, the little bit of sprinkling this morning stopped, it was a bit cloudy, and the temperature was in the mid to upper 60's.

This race starts with a run around the dirt track, then out on the roads, and finishes back on the track. Well, we've had quite a bit of rain the past few days,so the track was extremely muddy. On the initial loop around the track, if I ran in the middle I sank into the mud. Finally most of us found one of the edges was not QUITE as muddy.

It was great to get out on the road. Once there, the wind was gusty at times and took my breath away. By the time I was headed back, it was sunny, and hot enough I would have liked more wind. Then I was back on the track again, and this time it was even worse since there had been so many runners. I felt like I had to pull my feet up with each step!

I didn't place in my age group. There are a couple of fast women runners from this area, and most years they are in my age group. If they are participating in the same race, I don't have a chance. But, I ended up running the 5k in 30 minutes. That's not my best time, but not my worst, either. And I figure I lost a few minutes time trying to pull my feet out of the mud with each step on the track! And it's all for charity anyway. The best part is that even though at times I wanted to stop and take a walk break (especially on the muddy track), I didn't. So, I can say I ran the entire race. I am not in nearly as good shape as I was last year at this time, so that's an accomplishment for me.

The other good news is that nothing on my body hurts (well, my muscles do just a bit) -- my knees, ankles, etc. all feel great! So, I will continue to slowly work myself back into shape.

The next race is the Defiance River Run on July 4th -- 2 weeks away. If I can keep running without injury, I may have a little better time there. I also plan to run the Cleveland River Run (1/2 marathon) in September, so I have some training to do -- but a decent amount of time to prepare.

Gotta run ...