Cannonball Run -- Sun. July 13

After a quiet Saturday, Sunday morning was the B'town History Days event, a 5K that I've not entered before. Quite a share of hills (mild and long) in the loop course, and I was not feeling brill, so I'd have been happy with a low 20s time. Muggy and getting hot, but a pleasant breeze. Family event, so F and R watched as people arrived, the girls waited to help out, and A was going to join us at about start time. We arrived 8:15 ish, I registered, and then after a bit of chatting I headed off for a mile and a half of warm up. Started on time, and we set off (maybe 70 people, including Mr and Mrs Nedeau, and a good range of Swifties -- Andy and Jason had been marking the course with Swifty greetings earlier and were cheerleading!!) with a loop around the common and then off down Jabish hill. Started in the top 10 or so, and Jason called out I was 6th. Fast first mile (5:47) and the guy I was tracking was pulling away -- but he remained a good if distant target. Then the second mile on 9 I pushed a bit, and started to close on the guy ahead. Up the hill into town I got closer, passing him just before MacArthy's , though still far behind the target guy. Round the common one more time and finished under 20, in 5th.

Time: 19:50
Distance: 3.1 miles
Speed: 9.37

Comment: quite a satisfying run, though not top form. Good to get the quicker time in, it's been a while, and this was not the fastest course. I then added to the 1.5 miles warmup run with a run home, interrupted by stopping at TWO mulberry trees to snack on the juicy sweet fruit. Nice.