Lake Takanassee 5-K Races 2014-

The Lake Takanassee Races were a summer-time Monday night tradition when I lived in Long Branch, and since moving away 25-plus years ago, I still try to make it down at least once a summer. I couldn't attend the opener this season, but made it down the second week, on July 7th. Driving down the Parkway, my temperature gauge hit the mid 90's, but it's always way cooler with the ocean breeze, and it actually was somewhat windy on the south side of the .8-mile Lake. Old comrades like Gary Pierce, Hoyle Mozee, and Phil Hinck were amongst the volunteers/spectators, but I didn't recognize any of the runners in the field of maybe 100. With the small field, I was out in third place for a good part of the first of four laps. I settled in with a group of high school runners, and let the taller ones block the wind for me and set the pace: 6:25 for the first mile. I figured hanging with this group of four was the best for my pacing, and I was buoyed by my friends encouragement - do it for "old guys!" Unfortunately, my spirit was a bit more willing than my flesh, and I was a few paces back of the high schoolers at the two-mile mark - 12:57. I still felt good and knew I had a decent finishing time in me, but I was slowly falling out of contact with the younger runners and had no one else around me. I trucked through the last lap as hard as I could - but still slowed a bit for a finishing time of 20:30 -exactly what I had done at Millburn a month a go in my last 5-K. My heart rate was 172 at the finish - a good effort for me, and I felt less exhausted than the Millburn Race. I placed sixth overall - no complaints there - and, yes, I guess I was the first "old guy." Legendary Shore A.C.er Elliot Denman rewarded me with a new club T-shirt, and I promised I would do a few races for the club in the Fall. It's nice to be part of something!