Be Healthy Lake Travis Day 5K Race Report

I've said many times before that when I chase states in marathons and half marathons, I take what the calendar gives me.  I don't worry too much about the course - mainly just the temperature at the time of year.

The same applies when chasing my other goal -- a race in 100 Texas cities and towns.

Of course, earlier today, at midnight, I ran the Midnight Madness Down Main 5K in Salado.

There was another 5K close - in a new city; therefore, I doubled up.

I've heard - since moving to Texas - of many people who come to the area west of Round Rock and vacation at and on Lake Travis.

Until this morning, I've never seen it before, and once I got out on Rt. 620 West, I was impressed with the natural beauty that Texas has in this area.  Wow.

And, well, yes, the hills too.

In this area, don't trust the time projection on Google Maps.  It took me longer to get to the race site with all of the stoplights on Rt. 620.

When I registered for today's Be Healthy Lake Travis Day 5K, I actually checked to make sure that Lakeway was a distinct city even though the race's venue had an Austin mailing address.

Lakeway does exist - and not too many long stretches of flat road either.

So make this Texas city or town #86 to run a race in.

After getting to the race site within 30 minutes of the start (not how I like to do things), I grabbed my camera, took a couple of pictures with my camera and talked with a Lakeway police officer who saw and commented - positively, I might add - about my Penn State running shirt.

Seems he was from Lancaster - down towards Philadelphia - and I shared about how I had been home last weekend to see my grandparents.  (Then, of course, somebody on my return trip of the out-and-back course made a comment about West Virginia, which used to play Penn State for a long, long time in many sports.)

I also saw that Lone Star Timing and Brad Davidson - who is partners in the Texas 10 Series with Nathan Beedle, Angie Henderson and Willie Fowlkes - was going to be there and we talked for a couple of minutes before the start.

Ah, this is one place - while beautiful - that Willie will scare off runners if he does a Texas10 race -- not unless he makes it double points!

This was kind of opposite of the race that I did in April in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania near my hometown of Tyrone in that there was two declines and one big inclines going out instead of the opposite.

Therefore, the splits - as there were no mile markers (which might have been depressing anyway) -- were as follows:

Out -- 15:22.34
Back -- 17:27.18

And even though it was only 81 degrees, according to the weather through my iPhone, it felt warmer - close to 9 a.m. - as we were coming up the last major hill and incline or two that immediately followed.

I would say that this was the hardest 5K course that I've done since they held the King of Jester 5K in Austin back in 2005.  History would reveal that even though it was cool - held on February 27 - that it was actually 3.25 miles and I covered it in 35:29.

Fun stuff.  That's what it is all about, isn't it?

The heat and the hills reminded me of what I'm going to encounter in two weeks in Parkersburg, West Virginia at the News and Sentinel Half Marathon, which I will be running for the fourth time.

Not sure why other than that my friend Cassie Mondragon will be there, which is where she is from.

Time to head back to the Spring area.  Hope your Saturday - and weekend - is off to a great start!