angel flight 5k

Saturday was the Run For The Angels 5K at Orlando Executive Airport.  Since I work there, I've run this race since its inception 4 years ago.  It's a fun run, un-timed, and it takes you down the taxiways and runways and around the ramp areas of the airport.  It's really really neat!  I always see people I know at the water stops, the sponsor booths, and of course running in it.  The first year there were like, maybe 50 of us.  Mostly airport business employees.  The next year, we got some legit sponsors and the number of runners doubled.  Last year, there were around 250 runners.  This year?  I pulled into the parking lot where I always park and was marshaled by volunteers over to a large grassy area where tens of dozens of cars were parking.  I even saw a gal in a tutu (you know it's a real race now if there's girls in tutus!) and there were tons of people with music pumping, a large monster stuck, airplanes, and the sheriff's helicopter was thump-thump-thumping overhead.  I don't know the exact numbers this year but I'd guess around 500 people.  They did a much better job with the advertising around town and I was glad to see so many runners!  I did have a fleeting thought that my chances of actually placing in this race were nil to zero.  Whatever, I'm here to have fun so I went to look for friends.

I ran in to a couple of my current and former customers and one of my bosses.  Its was Rick's first 5K- he'd been keeping me informed of his progress after he'd decided to start running and basically did a couch to 5k program, which he'd timed out to end today on Race Day.  I'd helped him along with advice and encouragement and I was excited to see him run his first real race.  I found one of the school owners, Keith, over by the Cessna 182 they'd brought over to have on display- he was there with a couple of my CFI coworkers who weren't running.  We chatted for a bit and I decided my plan for the day was to just run for fun, even though everyone I worked with kept joking about how they expected me to win the race "Since you run marathons all the time."  LOL yeah sure.  The field of runners was the biggest I'd see for this event and there was no way I'd place especially since they only did 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and not age groups.  We got lined up, I still started toward the front, the air horn went off, and there we went!  The route shot us out onto a taxiway first thing, so I just started running fast to see how I'd feel.

I easily passed 2 women right away in the first half mile.  I was running at a pace that was a little bit too fast to be comfortable but hey, how do we know what we're capable of until we try it?  The route turned up runway 31 and then headed west over to the west ramp area near the maintenance hangar.  I hit mile one and the timer read 7:29.

7:29??????  I've never run less than an 8 minute mile in my life!!!!  And now I'm beating that by 30 seconds?  My throat was dry and I was breathing hard.  I looked ahead and I was pretty sure I only saw one blonde ponytail less than a minute ahead of me.  That means.... I'm in women's second place!  I didn't dare turn around to look behind!  I thought perhaps I might could keep this pace?  It's only 2 more miles.  Surely I can do that!  I took a quick sip of water from the first water stop but it mostly went all over my face.  Still haven't mastered this running-with-a-cup thing.  I followed the runners ahead in front of the Sheltair building then back across the approach end of runways 13 toward the Showalter/Atlantic ramp.  At this point we passed the rest of the crowd working their way toward the Mile 1 marker in the opposite direction.  I chugged along, watching my TomTom, not believing I was maintaining a steady 7:30 mile.  The second water stop was in front of the Altantic entrance and I saw the line guys I knew and Summer who works the front desk all cheering for me as I grabbed a quick cup again.  Lord, my throat was dry!  I was breathing hard!  My legs started to feel very heavy and I just told myself, one more mile, one more mile!

I was an even 15 minutes at Mile 2.  I couldn't believe it!

The course went out toward the shade hangers and as I ran around there I had to be extra careful of cables sticking up out of the asphalt and hooks embedded in the ground.  There were aircraft sticking out with no cones in front of their noses.  Vaguely, I wondered why the race director or someone didn't warn us about those things- I could see someone tripping easily!  I ran around the shade hangers (they didn't have doors, they're kind of just like white tents for airplanes) then back around in front and through a gate into the parking lot for the start area.  (Oh, this is why we weren't parking in the lot!)  

I was pretty sure by this time that I was in a solid women's second place.  I'd even passed a few guys toward the end.  I thought about slowing down a little- after all, it was only a half mile til the finish.  Then my brain said, hey it's only a half mile to the finish!  You can do this!  My legs felt like lead.  My throat was stinging with all the dry air I was sucking in.  I saw the finish up ahead and heard the announcer call out my name and alert the finish area spectators that the "Women's Second Place Runner is approaching the finish line!!!!"  I heard Keith hollering as I dashed by and I crossed the finish line with a 3.1 mile time of 23:32!

I felt fantastic!  I chugged a whole bottle of water, a woman with a clipboard came to take down my name, and it was over a minute later before the 3rd place girl crossed the finish.  A minute in race time may as well be a year.  I'd had plenty of lead!  

I met up with my colleagues and I saw Rick cross the finish line under his goal time of 30 minutes.  We all took some photos and I even got a plaque!

 The Chick-fil-a cow was there- Cow selfie!  Chick-fil-a was a sponsor

 The flight school crew- my customers Paul & Rick, Keith in the gray shirt, me, and Dan and Evan (my coworkers)

 Rick and I posing by the finish- 2 proud runners in this photo!!!

My 2nd place plaque!

One photo I did not get a copy of was the group shot of my Women In Aviation ladies.  There were a few of us that ran and some more volunteered so we took a photo to send in to the International magazine.  It should be there in the next issue or two!

I got showered up and cleaned because I had to go back to the flight school and work that afternoon.  Here's the thing now- when people at work and around asked if I'd run the race that morning and I told them yes AND I came in second, everyone acted like that was a huge surprise.  I guess it was- it was a surprise to me only because I hadn't planned on it.  Once I got through the first mile I really really pushed myself to stay in spot 2.  Now I know what I'm capable of!

Epilogue:

I woke up Sunday morning feeling like I'd been hit by a bus.  Every muscle in my legs was sore!  I'd stretched of course but was so busy Saturday with work, then Scot's birthday, that I didn't give myself a good roll around on the foam.  My legs are still a little sore today so I've got to get that worked out because I have my last long training run- 24 miles- on Thursday.  New York is getting closer and closer!

For more information on Angel Flight & Angel Flight Southeast, please click the link below:
Angel Flight uses volunteer pilots to give free medical air transportation to children and adults.  These can be scheduled flights for routine procedures or emergency departures in the middle of the night in the event of organ transplants.  Benefits from this annual 5K go to this fantastic organization.

http://www.angelflightse.org/