Milk Run 5K and the Minnesota State Fair

The Milk Run was my very first race back in 2005.  I ran it again in 2006 and 2007 and I think that was my fastest year as well.  Since then I stopped registering or wasn't in town to make it work, but kept going to the fair.  2008 was the year of the Chicken, 2010 was the year of 'why we don't ride Sky Gondolas', and in 2013 a friend reintroduced me to the awesomeness that is the Milk Run and put it back in my brain....

Milk Run: or as I like to call it the Pain Train.  The course winds around the Falcon Heights neighborhood and seems like it should be awesome and lovely.  And then you see the course profile and you're all 'well welcome to hell'.  I planned emotionally to be on the pain train for this entire race.  Because really, a 5K is no time to hold back.  But with a bachelorette party the night before and 4 hours of sleep, I wasn't planning on a PR either.   I just wanted to see what I could do.  I was disappointed that I didn't get the last mile faster than 10:00, but I really couldn't breathe by then anyways so I guess it's fine.  Chip time: 33:46

Fair Fun: Lucinda and I and a friend of hers saw most of the fair.  My legs were absolutely killing me by the end of the day.  I've never wished for compression socks and a foam roller so bad in my entire life.

Highlights of this year's fair

• The horses: It's hilarious they bring in the miniatures and then the Clydesdale group next.  Excellent juxtaposition.
• Poultry Barn: I got excellent pictures of the chickens I think
• SkyTower: where I am I still afraid
• The Fine Arts Building: it's always so much better than I expect it to be
• Bonus highlight: The Raptor Center.  It was too late for a tour when we stopped but we did get to see a couple animals close up

Fair Fails this year

• Fried Buckeyes: I was originally very excited for the food of my original people to be served to the food of my adopted people, but they got bad reviews and the picture just didn't look right so we stayed away.  Too bad.
• Commonwealth Ave is no longer open to pedestrian traffic.  What the actual fuck?!?  This irked Lucinda to no end.  It didn't bother me 'till later when I realized it literally added a mile of walking each way to the car.  I'm so glad I didn't know that at the time because I would've tried to climb the fence.
• No compression socks and no ibuprofen.  Seriously.  I hurt. A lot.

The Great Minnesota Get Together

I went with a friend to the state fair this year, so I could be her cheering support for the Milk Run.  It was hotter than blue blazes, all day.  I was thrilled that I wasn't racing.  The pictures should tell a convincing story on this one:

Start of the day: The Milk Run.  She ran by me, early in the race.  Then we sat around the finish line for a long time.  And all of a sudden, there she was.  Check out that lean.  She was cruising!

Checking out the barns.  We saw rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, chickens, ducks, turkeys, horses, and several different ways to sleep inside a barn, for both people and animals.
  

Next we learned all the different ways to make art out of food.  Butter sculptures were fun to see, only one was done.  Also, crop art.

Flowers in the agriculture barn.  True story: I was all "look at that black widow" and scared Lucinda to death because she thought I meant a real spider.

And all kinds of other general sights.  For those of you who haven't gone yet, bring your own water bottle.  Find good fried food.  Ride the sky galley so you can see the whole fair.  Come early because that's when the animals in the barns are actually doing things.  And then, go up to the second floor of the grand stand and get your hair colored.

Milk Run 2007

I ran in the Milk Run this morning. I took off about 3:00 from last year's time. I ran about a 33:15, I'll know for sure when the put the results up tonight. That's about a 10:30 mile.

I started out a little faster than I normally run. I think last year I started off too slow. And then the race route climbs. And climbs. And climbs beyond what is really normal for any race, especially in a place as flat as the twin cities. Mercifully the two mile mark is about the same place as the top of the climb. The last mile is basically down hill. I was really pleased when I got to the two mile mark at 22:00. That's two 11:00 miles, which is really fast considering who little I'd trained and the terrain. I was relieved when I could turn on the gas a bit for the down hill part. I was relieved I had anything left.

My original goal had been to finish in 32:00 which would have been perfect 10:00 miles. After remembering how bad I got about doing any exercise, I was really happy with how the day turned out. I'm still thinking about the Bolder Dash. Not sure whether to focus on improving the 5k time or to try a 10K. I'll have to figure out how late I can register and decide then.

I walked around the fair for a little while after the race. Over-stimulation may be the key word. Crowd may be another good word. I really liked walking around the fair when it first opened. I think that's the best time to go probably. Even the bathrooms are still fine that early in the morning. No one is cranky because it's too early to be either hot or tired. I toured the Eco-building, always a favorite, and went into the green friendly remodeling spaces. It was neat to see that I do have some decent options for green materials when I remodel my condo. Although I wasn't wild about the cork floor. They had granite and bamboo counter-tops that were really cool. Do they make flooring out of granite as well? I got a card for a place that's really close to where I live. I'll try to go over one night and check it out. I think I need to at least scope it out before I bring my Dad over. I need to be prepared for any possible criticisms he will have. Can't walk in blind so to speak.

And then I had Chipotle for lunch. Partly because I was hungry but also because I have very little food in my house and I have zero desire to go grocery shopping on a Sunday with everyone else (who didn't go to the fair today). I have some edamame. Mmmmm, yum!

I'm not the slowest person on the earth

This morning I ran in the 2006 Minnesota State Fair Milk Run. I'm pleased to report (even though my normal running pace is such that if I moved any slower I'd be going backwards) that I'm not the slowest person on Earth. I ran an 11:45 mile. Of 720 women, I finished 556 (right behind an old lady in her 60's). Of 93 women in my age bracket, I finished 73rd. The competitor in me wants to do way better in whatever event I run in next, like go much faster. The calmer side of me is totally excited I ran a road race, happy that I went faster than I thought I would, and grateful to Amanda for getting me back into running.

I ran with Amanda and a friend, Amy. I actually wound up running pretty much the whole race with Amy. Having other people to talk to made the up hill portions of the race not so bad.

Check out all the results of the 2006 Milk Run at Apple Raceberry Jam's site.