TN State Parks Running Tour: Halloween Hunt, 5-Miler

Today my daughters and I participated in our first state parks run of the season in Hermitage. Warm and sunny with practically no wind, we couldn't have asked for a better day to be running the paved trail around Couchville Lake in Long Hunter State Park. The Halloween Hunt is well-known among tour participants for its charcoal-grilled hot dogs and the costume contest immediately following the race. I'm not much on dressing up, but my daughters pounced on the opportunity to run in disguise.

A boring dad, Robin, and Katniss prior to the race

 

This was our second consecutive year running the race, and, once again, it was masterfully organized. After receiving our race bibs, I took off to walk and jog around the lake in the direction opposite of what we would be running. I saw a doe with two of her fawns not 20 feet off the trail. One of the fawns was wanting to nurse, but momma was having none of that. That fawn is going to learn just how rough of a world it is out there. Then again, if you're a deer in a state park, how bad can it be?

 

The course followed the same path as last year, so we knew exactly what to expect. Though it's considered an easy course, for me nothing about running is easy. I had a pretty good first mile, but I slowed some thereafter. A couple of people passed me in the last mile. By that point, I was pretty much just treading water and incapable of doing anything to prevent it. So I waved goodbye and kept running to the best of my abilities.

 

Near the three-mile mark

 

In training over the last nine weeks, I knew I was running faster than last year and had made it my goal to run the course in forty minutes or less. As the race progressed, I realized my expectations may have been too high. When the finish line came into view, I could see the race clock had passed forty minutes and was closing in on forty-one. I took off in an all-out sprint. Maybe I couldn't beat forty, but I could beat forty-one, by golly. As I crossed the line, the timer was so close I wasn't sure I'd done it, but the results confirmed my time of 40:59, more than three minutes faster than last year's time.

 

My 8:12 per mile pace is twelve seconds higher than where I would like it, so I'll just have to keep working at it, I guess. Of course in the grand scheme of things, it's not about the clock; it's simply about being active and enjoying a long, healthy life. Events such as these offer a great platform in helping to achieve this desirous goal, while meeting others who share similar aspirations for their lives. My gang had a lot of fun at this year's Halloween Hunt, and we're looking forward to when we link up again with our tour running comrades in November.        

 

Participants enjoy the free food & drinks post-race

 

A beautiful day for a run at Couchville Lake