RI State Police 5K 2023

 

Narragansett, RI

Sunday, April 30, 2023

It had been five years since I last ran this race, and it's always a fun one.  Back in 2018, I ran a 18:46, which I described as "very unflattering" at that time.  It seems my fastest RI State Police 5K was back in 2015, when I ran a 18:04.

Fraudster:  My funniest moment about this race over the years wasn't actually in Rhode Island.  We were in Alaska a few years back on vacation when a gentleman out of nowhere came up to me and extended his hand for a handshake.  As he clasped my hand, he thanked me profusely for my service, how important it was, etc.  I was a little confused at first (it doesn't take much), until I realize he was looking at my shirt, which said "Rhode Island State Police [5K]".  I thought about telling him that it was a race that I ran put on by the RI State Police, and that I don't personally serve in the state police unit.  But he was just so happy as he talked to me that I decided just to continue the unintended deception.  It got a little trickier when he was asking me about the narcotics problems in RI and whether we had as much trouble policing them as they did here in Alaska, but apparently my made up answers seemed to satisfy him.  It was time to end my fraudster ruse before he asked me something I couldn't answer, so I told him it was nice talking to him but I had to get back to my family.

Team WTAC:  Five of us were running this as a team:  Nick, Dave, Justin, Justin's brother Brandon, and me.  Justin's father had unexpectedly passed away early in the week, so I didn't really expect him at all, but he texted and said he wanted to run this for his father.  Sounds good.

Check in was pretty quick and efficient, as like many other races, they have moved away from paper and it was a quick computer check-in.  Got my bib and shirt, joined my teammates, and went out for a run of most of the course.  Got back with just over 10 minutes to start, enough time to change out of my wet shirt and into my singlet, race shoes, and hit the head.  Temp was mid-50s, it was foggy and drizzling, with almost 100% humidity.

Race start:  Lined up in second row while conversing with Justin.  Where are the other two?  With two minutes to go, we spotted Dave, and flashed him two fingers trying to convey just two minutes to go.  The starting line was already pretty packed, so we signaled for him to go around the front and then cross the start/finish line to meet us.  One down ... where's Nick?  Brian Doyle crossed into the crowd, and went behind me.  I told him to get in front of me as he's much faster (he would finish 2nd overall in 16:30).  National anthem.  Still no Nick.  Finally with literally seconds to spare, Nick awkwardly came over a plastic fence barrier to join us in the starting corral.  Shotgun start by people in historical costumes, right over cars as smoke comes out of the antique guns, and we're off.

Start of the 2023 RI State Police 5K,
with very cool gun start at left
---
(free event pics by Seaside Serenity Photography,
unless otherwise noted)

Mile 1:  I instantly get dropped by at least 20 people as many just sprint out of the gate.  Why does this often happen?  After just 1/4 mile or so, we turn hard right and head towards Kingstown Road and run the finish of the Blessing course.  Nick is a ways ahead of me but in sight about 1/2 mile, with Dave just to my right.  Right about at the mile mark, I catch up to Nick and go ahead.  By this time, I have also re-caught many of the runners that burst out ahead of me.

Three of us WTAC runners on far right

Mile 2:  The Boon Street section goes by quickly.  There is one woman ahead of me, along with a kid of about 20.  I don't make any progress on them, but I'm not losing any distance either.  (Obviously, they're not in my age group, but I prefer having anyone to chase as opposed to running "as an island".)  

Mile 3:  We turn onto the long section of Ocean Road, running slightly into the wind along the seawall.  There is about a 10mph headwind.  It is quite fogged in at this point.  Just after going past the Coast Guard House and under the "castle", the woman passed the young guy, and I caught up to and passed both.  Up ahead now, I could see the 13-year old kid that won the Clamdigger 5K last month, but I'm not catching him as he is 20 seconds ahead of me. I see the finish line and the clock ticking towards 18 minutes.  Nooo!  I sneak in just under the wire in 17:56.

Making my way to the finish on a dreary day
(Pic courtesy of Heather Alge)

Trying hard to at least beat 18

One second before crossing finish line in 17:56

Final result:  17:56, 11th overall of 829, 1st in age group.  Full results here. 

I really like this race.  While I had hoped for a faster time, I'm fine with the sub-18 and the way things turned out, especially given wet roads, near 100% humidity and fog, and a slight wind.

But the event itself was a lot of fun.  Waited for my teammates to come in, went for a cooldown on the Canonchet Farm trails, and came back for ice cream!  I wanted pizza as well, but they had just run out.  Great day all in all.

Called up a second time for individual win in the 50s age group

Team WTAC for the win!
(1st in open team division)

Full team photo, concluding a great event, as some of us enjoy ice cream!
(Pic by Heather)