Gone to the dogs.....Coon Dog Day 5K

This is how I felt from the start of this race! It was really, really hot and humid. I hadn't run any length in almost 2 weeks. But I had registered, so I was going to do this race run. And I got a very cool tech t-shirt.

The Coon Dog Day festival in Saluda, NC is the 49th annual celebration for dogs and their people. What began as a chicken supper fundraiser for the local Coon Club has grown into an event that attracts 10,000 people each year. 

Live entertainment started at 9am, and continued until the end of the street dance at 11pm. The parade is a favorite event, and consists of mostly homemade floats, tractors, fire trucks, horses, motorcycles, dogs and the reigning Coon Dog Royalty Court. All in all, a lively local event.

But to be honest, I skipped the whole festival because I wanted to attend my best friend's annual Floatilla. What on earth is a floatilla? A Tubing extravaganza on the Green River, Saluda, NC. It was the perfect conclusion to an ill-run race. I LOVE tubing.

This is my friend's mother. Notice the paddle in her hand - we all have these wonderful paddles. She gave me mine for Christmas after my first year attending. Each year we wood-burn the year onto the handle. Proves we were there I guess. But the paddles really make us the envy on the river.

But, I digress, back to the 5K race report:

Of course, there were coon dogs there too.

I don't like it when races start out with hills, and this one did. When I do my training runs, I always carry water or watered down Gatorade. I should have had some with me today, but I was thinking - it's only 3 miles. And I didn't want to look like a wimp. But it hurt me today. There was only 1 water station, right after the first mile. I could have used another one at mile two.

There were rolling hills until the last mile, and for the most part, that was all downhill. That was nice. I wasn't going for a PR - I haven't been running regularly for the last month, well, really since the Mud Run in June. I haven't gotten my groove back. 

Here's a picture of me near the finish line - I look pained. And I guess I was. I picked up my pace when I knew the end was near. Not one of my better races, at all. I just wanted it to be over.

But I have two 8k's coming up in August - Maggie Valley Moolight, and in September - Ache Around the Lake. 

Ache Around the Lake was my very first race 2 years ago. It was an ambitious beginning, because it's a very tough 5 mile course. Big hills until the last 1/2 mile. I thought I would actually die the very first time I attempted to run the route.


But it just happens to take place on the little lake where I live, so I was faced with it every year for the past 11 years, so two years ago I decided to go for it. Three years ago, I started with the "easier" 2-mile Ouch. I walked that with  a 90 year old woman, and we came in dead last. Of course, I later overheard her telling someone that she "couldn't get rid of that girl that walked with me". I was standing less than 2 feet away, but maybe she wanted me to hear...


So this week I will work on getting back on a running schedule. 


Our Tryon Running Club is offering a Running Clinic the end of July with Katie Malone of Malone Coaching. Katie is a triathlete herself and coaches other triathletes and runners. It will be a great learning opportunity for me. 


Will I participate in the Coon Dog Day 5K next year? Mmmm, the jury's still out on that one. 

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