Dog gone fun 5K

I'm still running in bone chilling temps for these January 5Ks, but this week's Run With the Dogs 5K added a little more fun -- dodging the ice.
The metro Atlanta area had snow earlier this week, which once again shut the city down for a few days. Worse, the temps never got above freezing for a couple of those days, so the sunshine melted some of the snow, which promptly refroze into black ice.
My driveway, which is shaded, was still icy yesterday morning, the day of the race. My friend Donna came to pick  me up and I wouldn't let her come down the driveway for fear she wouldn't be able to get out.
We got to the race and all around Decatur High School, where the race is held, was icy. Volunteers were out scraping and putting down ice melt to try to keep everyone safe. It was then I started to wonder what the course might look like, particularly if some of the roads were shady. My concerns were well founded. There were a couple of stretches of straight up ice on the road. I managed to avoid it and I hope my fellow runners did the same.

Me and Donna, braving the snow and ice

Me and Donna

 I was a bit slow on this 5K, too. Still getting back in my groove after a lot of time off. After the race, I managed a selfie with the Decatur High mascot bulldog.

mascot and me

A nice little surprise was one of the sponsors was handing out free running socks, so I got a nice take away. I wore them this morning on my Sunday run out at Stone Mountain. Because right now, it is 69 degrees in Atlanta! Crazy. Yesterday I had ice on my driveway and this afternoon I've got windows open in the house and am enjoying the warmer temps.
They won't last. We're due for a few more cold spells. But I think the worst of the winter running weather is over. At least I dog gone hope so.

Going the Extra Yard

I keep saying that when I signed up for all of my January 5Ks, it was about 50 degrees outside. Having to run a second one in sub-freezing temps wasn't in my plans! Ha!
At least this morning's 5K only had a wind chill of 15.
This was the Extra Yard 5K, which was part of the College Football National Championship festivities this weekend in Atlanta. The championship game is Monday night between Georgia and Alabama.
Thankfully, we could wait inside the Georgia World Congress Center before the start, and I ran into my friend Joe inside.

Me and Joe

 Joe is a fellow Mizzou grad and a relatively recent runner. I like to think the Mizzou runners represented at the Championship Game, even if our Mizzou football team didn't make it this year. :)

At the start

I didn't run an exceptional time for this 5K. My legs felt stiff and I haven't really run at all over the holidays. Even last week's Resolution Run time was "off" my normal speed.
That's OK. I know I'll shake the lead out and start running a little more toward my usual times soon.
We got a nice finisher's medal at the end of the race, which was nice. My first medal of 2018!

First finisher's medal of 2018

Medals ready for the finishers

Pre-dawn shot of the start line

It was a fun race and a good turn out, despite the cold. I ran into Joe and also ran into some women I met last week at the Resolution Run. They actually recognized me before I recognized them. That's what I love about running: the people I meet along the way.
It was a great day to go the extra yard.

Cold start to the new year

The first 5K of 2018 sure did have a cold start!
The Resolution Run was now a 5K and had a new course at Piedmont Park. The race was nearly all inside the park, which was nice.
What wasn't so nice was the 20 degrees and 8 degree wind chill. Goodness!
I had two layers to everything, but wished I'd had a second pair of gloves. The ones I wore were a loose knit and my hands were cold even with the gloves.
The Atlanta Track Club did have portable heat lamps in the area near the start, and I made several new friends as we all huddled close to the heat!
The Track Club did a group photo before the start, which was fun.

Atlanta Track Club members before the start. I'm in there!

Resolving to run

How many layers do I have on?

I was glad I remembered a little cowl to pull over my nose and cheeks, but it was so cold that breathing into it, the water vapor on the cowl FROZE!
I was never more happy to have finished a race and gotten into the car. I'm always glad to run this race, however. It is a good start to 2018. I just hope next year isn't quite as cold!