Sun, Oct 12, 2014 - 10K - 00:55:26
10K ASICS Grand Relay with Hannah (55:26)
Hannah ran a very strong 5K race with a 29:20, and I did the second half in 26:06 which included about 20 meters of Hannah's run, our 5-second chip exchange, and a good 20 seconds of me trying to get past the slower crowd of 10K runners in the small, winding pathways throughout the zoo, so I would say our official time of 55:26 when you subtract this extra time was right at our goal of 55:00. In any case, Hannah looked strong when she was running in, we had a very efficient chip exchange (tip: second runner waits for first runner in kneeling position, first runner steps forward and lets the second runner take off the chip and put it on his own leg), then I took off and gave it my all, making my way through the crowded zoo, and then passing the 55-minute pace runner at 8K and keeping him behind me into the finish, but he must have started in the block behind Hannah, so we ended up with an official time of 55:26. Gisi was with Hannah at the start, and ran through the city to meet Karla and Hannah at the 5K relay area after I had took off running, so we all made good connections and then the four of us met up on the way home. The weather was cool and dry, a great day to run, and as our first relay run, a very fun race! 
 
 
 
Hannah had the chip strap first: 
 
 
 
 
 
On the way to the 5K point, Karla and I walked along the outskirts of the zoo, here a llama: 
 
And a zebra: 
 
Hannah at the start: 
 
Anticipation of Hannah in the 5K exchange area: 
 
Some of the fastest 10K runners: 
 
 
 
Into the zoo: 
 
 
 
This was about 10 seconds before Hannah came, the switch area is full of runners looking for and finding each other, lots of action and very fun: 
 
I'm off through the zoo! Packed with 10K runners going twice as slow as I want to run: 
 
Then I found these two young relay runners who had found the fast lane atop the grassy median and followed them, our trampling the grass was probably not in the interest of the zoo keeper but it allowed us to pick up a couple seconds: 
 
The elephant gate: 
 
Finally made it out of the crowded zoo, up and around the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
At 8K, found and passed the 55-minute pace runner, a good feeling: 
 
 
 
 
 
sprint to the finish: 
 
Finished, I received two medals, one for me and one for Hannah: 
 
The starting line about to be packed up: 
 
 
 
Victory chocolate: 
 
Rendez-vous'ed with the family on the way home, gave Hannah her medal, and exchanged stories. A fun race!