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.