Felix, Everitt, and Russ -- old Tri-City Triathlon Club buddies -- at the start of the 5k and 10k race.

Race for Literacy 10k

Felix Wong's avatar
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Count this as a race I’d like to forget or even be disqualified from. I had taken over the #2 position at Mile 2.7 and had second place virtually locked up with a half-mile remaining—but then I got hopelessly lost. Crying out “WHICH WAY?” in vain to the atmosphere, I turned around to see runners behind looking equally discombobulated. “Inexcusable,” exclaimed the #3 guy, referring to the non-existent course markings at the end. Ultimately, after darting down an embankment and climbing over a chain-linked fence, I found my way to the finish line, but only after I had lost eight minutes. Instead of finishing second in a PR 39:xx, I finished in 47:xx after an angry sprint to the banner.

Oh well, it was a charity event to abet illiteracy in India. And I got to see a bunch of ol’ pals. Four of them, in fact.

My friends Alyssa, Everitt, Stacey and Russ all came out. Alyssa and Russ ran the 5k, Everitt and I did the 10k, and Stacey cheered and snapped photos. Everitt—whom I know from my days with the Tri-City Triathlon Club—normally can kick out a 10k in 40 minutes, but had a blood clot in his lungs he is still recovering from. He still finished in 45 minutes. Russ (also from TC^2) used the 5k as a last tune-up before next week’s 50k Ohlone trail run. Alyssa surprised herself with a solid run on virtually no training. Her time was only 1.5 minutes slower than her personal record and, best of all, she totally outkicked a 12-year-old at the end.

“I couldn’t let that little kid beat me,” she later reported. “I had to put the hammer down and outrun him once I saw the finish line. I have no shame.”

The food given to participants at the end was authentic Indian—by far the best post-race food I’ve ever had at any race, period. From there we went to the Palo Alto Farmer’s Market and ate rambutans and drank sweet mango lassis. Yum.

It turned out to be a very pleasant day to run, munch on exotic food, and hang out with good friends. Now if I can only stay on course better in the future…

Time Splits

Mile 1: 6:06
Mile 2: 6:24
Mile 3: 6:15
Miles 4-5: 12:57 (6:28/mile)
Miles 6 to ~7: 15:xx

Total time: 47:xx

Stacey doing Indian aerobics before the race.
Stacey doing Indian aerobics before the race.
Indian aerobics as a warmup before the race -- I forget the official name for this.
Indian aerobics as a warmup before the race -- I forget the official name for this.
Felix, Everitt, and Russ -- old Tri-City Triathlon Club buddies -- at the start of the 5k and 10k race.
Felix, Everitt, and Russ -- old Tri-City Triathlon Club buddies -- at the start of the 5k and 10k race.
Alyssa after surprising herself with a solid performance in the 5k.
Alyssa after surprising herself with a solid performance in the 5k.
Alyssa, Stacey, Russ and Everitt after having a better race than me -- I got hopeless lost after having 2nd place virtually locked up.
Alyssa, Stacey, Russ and Everitt after having a better race than me -- I got hopeless lost after having 2nd place virtually locked up.
Having sweet mango lassis at the Palo Alto Farmers' Market.
Having sweet mango lassis at the Palo Alto Farmers' Market.
Eating Rambutans grown in Palm Desert at the Palo Alto Farmers' Market.
Eating Rambutans grown in Palm Desert at the Palo Alto Farmers' Market.