Out running the po po, again

The first signs of fall have arrived in Atlanta. I turned off my air conditioner last week, and thankfully, I haven't had to turn it back on. Temps at night are dipping into the mid to low 60s and highs are in the low to mid 80s.
That can only mean one thing. The most wonderful time of year has arrived for running.
I've been remiss in writing about my running, so I'll start where I left off in July. July!
I ran two races in August, the August 5K, sponsored by the Atlanta Track Club, and the Magnolia Run, which benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia.
Both 5Ks were pretty unremarkable for me. Both were hot. Both continued to aggravate my IT band injury and right knee. I'm having more and more trouble with that, even with some Rolfing massage therapy. I dread having to go to the orthopedic for real physical terrorism -- I mean, therapy.
I had signed up for the Big Peach Sizzler 10K on Labor Day when the IT band wasn't really smarting, so imagine my chagrin when the day arrived for a solid 6 miles.
I had such a good time last year on this race -- my best 10K time of the year -- which is why I think I signed up for it to begin with.
But things didn't go so well with this race. For one thing, I was still in line for the port-o-potty when the starting gun went off! Thankfully, I had a timing chip, so I knew I'd get my net time. Still, I really don't care to start at the very back of a race again. I felt like I was behind the whole time. I tried to press myself and just aggravated my IT band more. Not my best race. And one I do not think I'll run next year unless I'm feeling MUCH better.
I ran the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk 5K on Sept. 13 with about a dozen of my co-workers.

Doug, Amy and Me

Dixie, Jackie, Michael and Joey

Michale at the start line

 I ran about a 38 minute race, exactly what I thought I'd do. This race course was so crowded, I really didn't like it. I felt like I might get tripped by another runner at any moment.
Yet, I was reminded that it was exactly this kind of event that began my running career.
I was not a runner in high school or college. I'd never run. I never liked running.
But when I was living in Jacksonville, Fla., by company fielded a team for a corporate run and I joined. I did so poorly. About 45 minutes to run that first 5K. I was embarrassed by my outing, and spurred on to do better. The rest, as they say, is history. I got the running bug.
Which leads me to this morning's race.the Beat the Badge 5K, which I ran last year, as well.
And what a nice surprise, I ran into friends Susan and Carolyn.

Carolyn and me

Susan and Carolyn

I was really worried that since I had run Thursday night that I'd have dead legs today. But, surprise! I ran this race in 37 minutes, a full minute better than Thursday night's race. I was a full minute slower than last year's race, but still, I was very pleased. I won't say I didn't hurt most of the way. My legs ached and my IT band is really tight.
The police recruits, running in cadence, passed me at about the half way point, but there were two recruits, slower than the others, being helped by a veteran, and I ran slightly ahead of them. I could hear the mentor talking to them, urging them on. He urged me on, too.
So although I outran the po po, it wasn't by much.

I can outrun the po po

I can out run SOME of the po po, anyway.
This morning I did the Beat the Badge 5K in Tucker. I clocked my fastest 5K so far this year on the very flat race course, pretty much an out and back on LaVista Road.
The day started out a little wobbly. I forgot to set my alarm, and was very thankful that 1) I woke up before 8 a.m. and 2) it was a 9 a.m. race start!
But I could tell I was flustered by the late wake up. I put my contact lenses in the wrong eyes this morning. I kept wondering why I couldn't see clearly as I drove to the race start. A quick switch in the parking lot before the start and I realized my mistake!
The race started and finished near police headquarters, and this is the new 9/11 sculpture that was dedicated about a week ago. I really like it, and there is a piece of the Twin Tower structure at the base of the wing.

New 9/11 sculpture at DeKalb County Police/Fire Headquarters

I found a penny on the race course, and then two pennies later today when I walked to and from the car repair shop. My car will now pass emissions and it will also now stop. :)
That will keep me ahead of the po po, too.