by Tom Chobot
The Key West Run Fest took place on January 17 and 18, with the 5k and 10k taking place one hour apart on Saturday, and the 8k and half marathon on Sunday. In addition to the 4 races, the directors offer the “Big Pecker” and “Little Pecker” challenges. The BPC is doing the 5k, 10k, and half, while the LPC is the 5k, 10k, and 8k. They also offer a “Rum Stroll” and “Beach-n-Beer Mile” on Sunday afternoon, but we won’t talk about that. Suffice it to say that what happens in Key West stays in Key West.
“Oh hell, let’s go for the BPC. What could go wrong?” Even being fat, old, and out of shape (I’m speaking purely for myself here), the cut-off times seemed to be well within our ability level.
Unbeknownst to us, until a few days earlier, Mike Whalen had also signed up, and the 3 of us had a great weekend running the races and checking out the city.
The 5k started at 7a.m. and our strategy was to hold back and save enough for the next 2 races. Yeah right, like that’s going to happen. How many runners do you know who plan to “run easy” and actually follow through with it once the gun goes off? Anyway, after about a 30-minute break, and just as the rigor mortis was starting to settle in, off we went in the 10k, wondering whose brilliant idea was this? We all managed to easily make the cut-offs and spent the rest of the day hobbling around town and doing what people do here – see the sites and get our blood-alcohol back up to a respectable level. Well, I did anyway. Probably not the smartest way to rehydrate, but at my age, fun takes precedence over common sense.
The start of the half the next morning was festive as you would expect, but not without a few glitches. For one, 5 out of the 10 porta-johns ran out of toilet paper 30 minutes before race time, and at least one aid station ran out of water. More than a few unhappy runners. Fortunately, the weather was unseasonably cool, but still on the warm side for racing with plenty of runners struggling with the heat in the latter part of the race. However, considering it was 400 degrees below zero with 87 feet of snow on the ground back home, we weren’t going to complain one bit.
They gave us a finisher medal for each race plus one for the challenge and encouraged us to wear them around town. The only problem was that we looked more like Mr. T than runners with all the hardware around our necks. I might add that the Big Pecker medal makes the sound of a rooster when you push a button. Gotta love Key West. Still, it was a fun weekend and a gratifying accomplishment, as well as spending time with a fellow Pacer in a faraway place. Generally, it was a well-run event with a few hiccups that will undoubtedly be addressed. Nice course, lots of amenities, and enthusiastic spectators and staff. Bottom line, will we go back? Probably.
5K (7am, Day 1) Tom- 29:41
Gwyn- 37:21
Michael- 27:57
10K (8am, Day 1)Tom- 1:06:35
Gwyn- 1:23:07
Michael- 57:16
1/2 Marathon (7am, Day2)
Tom- 2:36:29
Gwyn- 3:00:19
Michael- 2:08
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