Mark Hazzard Day 5K Race Report

Kents Hill School hosted the first Mark Hazzard Day 5K Run this year in honor of alum Mark Hazzard '75 who is suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease. The race had about 100 entries of a few locals and lots of students and faculty. KHS heavy hitter runners Catherine Sterling, Will and Amanda Rhem (Will and Amanda ran, but went easy) and race organizer Meg Bennett did not compete, so the field was a bit soft, but it raised a lot of money, which was the focus of course. So the winner won in 20 minutes (I don't know the guy, but he's a local triathlete), KH student and my advisee Pat Englehardt took second with a personal best 21:56. He just keeps getting faster! Damn kid. I came in sixth place with a personal best 22:20. Pat and I compete against each other in a friendly way, so we both push each other to our best. Cheryl and Dee Dee walked the course with our 3 year old Lab Huck who had a blast and knocked over the fish line tape and posts at the end prompting our headmaster to comment "who's dog is that anyway?" A page out of "Marley and Me."

I had a PB because I ran hard due to the believed fact that I would not be racing my bike on Sunday at the SMCC SIP crit. Kennebec Bike and Ski did not have my bike ready for me on Friday and I did not think it would be ready for me Saturday or that I would have the time to pick it up even if it was, as I had a lacrosse game to coach Saturday afternoon.

Upon arrival from the 5K there was a message from Steve at the shop that my bike was finally, indeed ready for pick-up. I jumped in the jeep and got the bike and made it back in time for my game. I rode the bike around campus for about 15 minutes, which is all I would get before I lined up against real deal elite riders (go to Wheel's blog and click on some of his links to some wicked fast Mainers) the following morning. My first legit ride on my rode bike of 2009 was among about 30 elite riders from category 1 to fast cat 4 riders (was I one of those fast cat 4 guys? Perhaps without the intense running effort the day before. I'll know more later in the year when I line up with them again). Suffice to say I was up against it, but curious to see were my fitness was...