Race 5 – June 10, 2018 @ 9:00am
Truro – Ocean to Bay 5 Miler
It had been two weeks since my last race and, boy, what a difference two weeks makes! While all week the weather looked like it was going to be cold and rainy by the time Saturday came the reports were for sun and we could not have asked for a more perfect day! The sun was out and the cool breezes off the Atlantic Ocean made for the perfect conditions.
This race I had fans! My son and his girlfriend, who live in Boston, came down to The Cape for the weekend. They even woke up at the crack of dawn to drive me to Truro! It is not lost on me that waiting for a runner is like watching paint dry. I was just glad that they could hang out in the sun and have have breakfast on the grounds of the lighthouse. (The snack bar at the venue was open!)
The Truro Ocean to Bay 5 Miler benefits the upkeep and restoration of Highland Lighthouse; a majestic and classic lighthouse on the dunes of Truro. It sits atop a dune overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounding the lighthouse is Highland Links a beautiful golf course that many compare to the golf courses in Scotland.
The race started at the top of the hill that the lighthouse sits on. We ran to the bay-side of Truro which was about 1.5 mile away. We ran back toward the ocean after a turn at Pamet Harbor on the bay. The return toward the lighthouse took us back across Truro then toward another ocean parking lot about a mile away from the lighthouse. Returning to the lighthouse meant running back up the long hill. This was a bit of a killer for me.
I am a fairly strong hill runner but this one was tough. I wanted to finish strong and found the strength to keep up my pace till the end. Part of my motivation was to make my son and his girlfriend proud and that worked! I pushed and when I saw my time (I am still without a race watch). I was thrilled. I had kept my pace around a 10 minute mile. This is GREAT for me 🙂
Our post race treat was a (short) trip to Provincetown to stroll along Commercial Street. We poked in and out of the shops and got a snack before heading to Wellfleet for lunch at Russ & Marie’s BBQ. I love that running lets me explore our Cape towns and eat at some of the yummiest restaurant!
I am excited that I have now completed 5 out of the 15 races in my Run the Cape Challenge. It feels like a real milestone!
To learn more about the beautiful town of Truro click here
To learn more about Highland Light click here