2023 Run to Feed the Hungry

For the nineteenth time in the last twenty years [2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005 and 2004], I ran or walked the Run to Feed the Hungry. We entered in 2007, but I was feeling under the weather and we decided not to run before heading to San Francisco for Thanksgiving. Sharon also missed six years ago when she was feeling under the weather. This year, Sharon decided to do a virtual 5k around Ancil Hoffman Park.

I took off by myself at 7:15 am. I ended up parking on Cadillac Drive; they wouldn't let you turn left off of Fair Oaks Boulevard to get to University Avenue where I have parked for the last ten years.

I had a lot of trepedition about this year's run. I have come to view this run as a referendum on my fitness. After walking the 5k for the first time with the family last year, I wasn't sure how I would do.

I ended up with a chip time of 1:10:07 for a pace of 11:17 minutes per mile. My 5k spilt was 33:36 with a pace of 10:48 minutes per mile. Using RunKeeper, my splits were: Mile 1 - 10:47; Mile 2 - 10:32; Mile 3 - 10:53; Mile 4 - 11:20; Mile 5 - 11:31; and, Mile 6 - 11:56.

I felt good physically during the run; nothing hurt. I am satisfied with the results. I am older and slower, but still running! I actually think with a little more distance training that I could carry a little more speed. I slowed down a lot in the last third of the race.

They changed the 10k course since the last time I ran it. It now goes down a couple of the fabulous 40s streets rather than under Business 80 into midtown.