Most non-marathon
races happen on a Saturday. But since it
was Veterans Day weekend the Veterans Day 5k was not on the typical Columbia
weekend run and I got to enjoy my sleep.
And I forgot to look at the race calendar to see what would be happening
on that Saturday, so there’s that, too.
I ran in the
inaugural USC Veterans Day 5k last year, and one of the much faster runners
inadvertently changed the course and everyone followed their lead, including
me. It made for an interesting time
while crossing Assembly Street with traffic coming at us both ways. (see last year's race by clicking on the video.)
This year, the
course route significantly changed, and it would start and end in different
spots. The route started by the Long
Street Theatre, went around the Horseshoe perimeter, made a couple of turns,
and ended at 920 Lady Street.
Sunday afternoon, I
headed out very relaxed and ready to go.
Packet pick-up started at 11:30 AM, and would go on for the next two and
a half hours. I arrived at one of the
UofSC parking lots and dropped my stuff off at the library around 1 PM. I hung out and talked with some of the
college kids working, to which one of them asked me about the race. It seemed that she got stuck in traffic
during the Tunnel to Towers 5k the other month and didn’t want to have that
happen again. I assured her that the race wouldn’t linger past her work
schedule, and that the end was off campus so she would have no issues.
After a little bit,
I go outside and walk up for my packet pick-up.
I see quite a few Team RWB shirts surfing among the crowd which was
amazing because I do not recall anyone talking about it on the local RWB Facebook
page. Of course, my RWB shirt was in the
wash because someone spilled a drink on my stuff and my Columbia Running Club
jersey was nowhere to be found. Instead,
and thankfully because of the slightly cooler weather, I would wear my cotton
Columbia Running Club t-shirt for the race, so at least I would represent one
of the two organizations out there.
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| Me and the Prez |
Eventually, we all
make our way to the starting line.
According to raceroster.com, 388 people signed up for the race, but I
believe there were over 400 out on the course.
The national anthem is sung and once the buzzer goes, we are off.
I follow the crowd
before me, and everyone makes a right after passing the Long Street
Theatre. I have my Halo 3 theme music
going in my Aftershokz, GoPro in my hand, and I’m weaving around strollers and
walkers. I’m enjoying myself as I get
close to the gate blocking vehicle traffic on Greene Street.
And then several of
us hear a woman say we were going the wrong way.
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| Turn Around, You're Going the Wrong Way! |
I could see a long
crowd of runners still going forward, but those of us from the back only had
the minimal amount of turnaround distance to do. I feel this certain energy coursing through
my veins and I somehow sprint back onto the correct route, and sprinting at the
beginning definitely goes against what I used to tell my Soldiers when I was
still in the Army.
I got back on track
and there are very few people in front of me.
Eventually, I pass enough people that for a brief quarter-mile I am one
of the top ten runners of the race.
Technicalities and mishaps aside, I took that in stride and ran a little
faster. It wouldn’t last. Slowly, and one by one, the fast pack of
runners catch up and surpass me.
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| "You better run up that hill!" |
We make it to Bull
Street, one of two uphills in the race, and this one is THE dozy. It’s steep and it has four Marine drill
instructors “encouraging” us get up that hill.
They were very animated. And vocal.
I run up the hill past all four, and about 50 feet past the final one, I
slow down to a walk. I can hear the last
drill instructor behind me yelling that I should not be walking and that I
needed to keep running. At this point,
I’m near the apex the hill, and I spot two volunteers to which I tell them as I
start running again, “if I wasn’t retired, I might have been intimidated by
them,” meaning the Marines. They
laughed.
I hit the water
stops along the route and one of them was on Assembly Street, the other
not-as-steep uphill. After cresting the
hill, I run by what looks like at least three platoons of Army drill sergeant
candidates, who were out there actually encouraging us with signs, dancing, and
clapping. 
The route had us
running in front of the state capitol grounds, and a squad of UofSC
cheerleaders followed suit with the Army by cheering us on. A couple of turns later, I made it onto Lady
Street.
Lady Street felt
weird. I am so used to driving on it,
that I never really get to take in how downtown Columbia looks like a normal
metropolitan area, and I do not mean that in a bad way. This time, I’m running down it and soaking in
the building architecture.
Eventually, the
finish line is within eyesight and the crowd within earshot. I sprint from the final traffic light and
pass Cocky. That bird is everywhere. More cheerleaders line the finish line,
motivating people as they approach. I
finish with one of my slowest times ever, but it was worth it.
I did not stay for
the after-party or the awards ceremony because I had some sick kiddos to get
back home to, but those who finished (and had the proper ID) got a free beer
and sliders from Carolina Western Pub.
The race packet included a performance shirt and an FN America baseball
cap. I’ll take a hat in a race packet
any day.
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| Cocky and the president crossing the finish line |
Other than the
initial hiccup at the beginning of the course, it was good; the crowd and
atmosphere were in happy spirits, and any chance to support raising money for
the Fisher House is a-okay in my book.
The video for the race is below, check it out.
