Tailgate in the Park

Early August in Atlanta, can football be far away?
No, and neither is the Atlanta Track Club's Tailgate 5K at Chastain Park.
Last year a sinkhole on a nearby road, which was part of the course, forced the to be a one-miler. This year we got all 3.1 miles of hills.

Tucker Running Club represents!

Mizzou ready  to run!

I met up with some of the Tucker Running Club crew prior to the race. It was a hot, hilly (and slow, for me) race, but always fun.
Now, Go Tigers! MIZ!

That sinking feeling

Driving in Atlanta has always been a challenge.
Who knew running in Atlanta was going to be a challenge?
Well, when there is a sinkhole along the 5K route, it is!
So, the 680 The Fan Tailgate 5K this past weekend became a 1-mile fun run.
Believe me, hearing the alarm go off at 5:15 a.m., I did wonder why I was doing it for just a mile.
I think a lot of folks wondered the same thing because there were far fewer people for this annual Atlanta Track Club event this year than in year's past.
Still, it was a free ATC race, so I was up and out the door!
This race is "themed" for college football season, so my friend Angela and I showed up in our Missouri Tiger running attire.

Representing Mizzou!

I (heart) Mizzou

Mizzou runners

 Angela and I weren't the only ones up early for a 1 miler. Michelle and Dana were there too!

Ready to run

Mizzou finisher!

So, the one good part about this race it is was over (for me) in 11:30 minutes. We talked about jogging around Chastain Park for another two miles, and we all talked ourselves out of it! LOL
Maybe we all got that sinking feeling when it came to more exercise.

Are you ready for some football?!

I ran the Atlanta Track Club's Tailgate 5K this morning in Chastain Park.
In year's past, this was known as the Jog Days of Summer 5K. This year they put a decidedly college football spin on it.
As I walked up to pick up my race number, I saw my Missouri Tigers represented.

Fight Tigers, fight for Old Mizzou!

It was then I realized I didn't wear my Mizzou shirt! I actually have a Mizzou tank top I could have worn on this hot, humid morning.
I got there early enough to walk around a bit and walked down to a little pond in the park. Some new friends saw me stop and thought I'd brought them some breakfast.

Hey, where's our breakfast?!

This race was my first in two weeks and all this week my hips have felt tight in yoga and pilates classes. So I should not have been surprised that my hips felt tight during the race. There is also a giant hill between miles 1 and 2. Ugh! That was a long walk.
I met a gentleman named Steve at the end of the race. He's attempting to run a half marathon in all 50 states and we found out we both ran the Rock N Roll New Orleans and the Run the Bluegrass this year. We both agreed the wind at the end of the Lexington race was awful!
I was glad to get back to running this morning. It won't be long before I'm training for my fall half marathon in Denver. And it won't be long until it's time to tailgate for some college football.
Are you ready?