Caitlin, Erin, and I woke up bright and early Sunday morning to attend the first annual “Run for Leslie” 5-kilometer race. The race was in memorium of Leslie Sherman, a former West Springfield student who attended Virginia Tech and was a victim of the shootings that took place there earlier this year.

The starting line was a bit different than usual, with her former coach (I think) saying some words that surely got some runners choked up. Following that, there was a “moment of jubilee” where everyone cheered for a bit. Then? The gun; a bit chilling considering the circumstances.

The course began on the high school cross-country route, which I hadn’t traversed in nearly a decade. Up the starting hill, down the road, in to the woods, back on to the road, past the starting line, up to the park entrance, back down to the starting line, back up the start hill, around a clump of trees, and back towards the starting line to finish. The finish itself was a bit modified due to some construction in the woods, which I think added on the extra .12 miles that the original course lacked. I knew they had changed the course, but I assumed it was the same length so I was shooting for 6:40 miles to put me just under 20 minutes for the race. I ran the first right around 6:40, the second around 6:50, and the third around 7 minutes for an average mile of 6:51 and a total time of 21:17.

Overall, I feel I paced myself fairly well. I did feel quite sluggish at the 2-mile mark, but I passed just about as many people as the number who passed me so I guess that’s about average. I managed to drop 41 seconds off of my 5k time from last year so things are definitely improving. Maybe sub-20 early next year?

I don’t think they did results, but based on a rough calculation I did, I think the winners finished right around 18 minutes.

Caitlin was 1:21 behind me with a 22:38 and Erin not too far behind her with a 23:50? Caitlin will likely correct me on that…

Anyway, a good run, a good cause, and a good time. Can’t wait to do it again next year! Who knows, maybe I’ll be with the leaders by then?