Sunset Shuffle 6k,August 19 2010, Wards Island
Man,I love this little race! $20,no t-shirt,no bib #,but a cold beer and a hot dog and the most scenic drive home.
This year I decide to make an afternoon of it on the islands with my 11yr old daughter.I had to promise to take her to Centreville first and the ice cream.With these two things taken care of we took the scenic walk from Centre Island along the boardwalk to Ward’s Island with ample time to spare before the 7pm start time.The playground and playing fields adjacent to race HQ were ample distraction for my kid while I stretched and warmed up.
The course is pretty much an out and back towards Hanlan’s Point and usually has an impressive field of speedsters which has helped me lower my time each of the 4 times I have done the race,today would be no exception.Fast and furious was the opening pace with a couple of young lads finally dropping back after 2k,leaving the front group of 6 followed by myelf as we made the turn and headed back to Wards Island.It had been blustery pre-race but the winds seemed to have died down at race time though there were only a couple of spots were it would have affected the runners as the bike path snakes through the tree laden island bike path.
I still get a kick out of the finishing chute were volunteers are calling out times,peeling stickers from runners chests and applying them in the appropriate places on bristle-board!Reminds me of my high school cross-country days.
I managed to hold onto 7th place,set another PB,place in my age group scoff down a hot dog and a Steamwhistle then catch the ferry back to the mainland where I was reminded more than once that my darling 11yr old had been promised chicken fingers! The price a dad has to pay to have his child accompany him to a race!Ah well it was worth it! I wonder if I can bribe her step-sister to come along next year?
Cheers
