CRC's 100x5k Record (pending) Run...Spada's take!

If I were to use my standard line of, "it was awesome", in describing this past weekends events of the CRC's pending world record run of 100 runners times 5 thousand meters, I would be doing a huge disservice to the coordinators of this massive undertaking and the runners that ran, and Ben Hovis would probably role his eyes!

Since I was running an easy 10 miler Saturday morning, I thought it would be a good idea to run to PDS (4 miles away) and catch the start of the record attempt. Smart move! Although it was not Barbados weather, there was an electricity there as I made my way to the infield to get a close up of the morning's first runner, Ben Hovis, as he was completing circuit after circuit of 77's! As Ben was still running, I was able to run with the day's 2nd and 3rd runner, Megan Hovis and Mike Beigay (my replacement) and keep them company with their warm up. As well, I got to chat with Aaron Linz who was acting as lap counter (certainly no easy task!) Time to go...

After running to work to get lacrosse set up, I ran home for some breakfast, and then it was time for my daughters soccer game. After the game, my son had lax practice, yet I had to go back to the track to check on my club mates. My son just wanted to know when Jordan Kinley was running! As I saw how the weather was progressing, I felt for the runners who were slated to run Saturday afternoon into Saturday night...oh boy!

I was plenty rested Saturday, as I knew I had a big morning ahead of me with acting as captain, along with John Filette, for the 6am-10am Sunday morning "shift". John, a very nice grad student at UNC, and I were responsible for making sure that our 10 runners were ready to go. To make sure that I was warmed up, I decided to run to PDS Sunday morning. Before leaving, and since I did not have a CRC logo-ed singlet, I decided to red magic marker my stomach (abs was my nick name in college some 25 years ago!) so shorts, arm and calf sleeves and a cap were all I needed...

As I approached the track at PDS Sunday morning, the first person I spotted was Richard (you all know him as Rocky) Falcone and he was gettin' geared up! By the way, I loved how serious everyone seemed to be taking this event! Rocky proceeds to drop a 15:56 to get us yet another 1 % closer to the record. After watching Richard, I went over to one of the start/finish areas and had a nice chat with Billy Shue and Alex Wernikoff who had both already completed their runs in PR fashion...

On the other side of the track were standing Aaron Linz (yet again), Mike Beigay and Emily Barrett in full support regalia! After watching Jamaar Valentine run his leg (g's off!), I had the pleasure of cooling down with him (and he told me that he enjoys reading my blog and it was a pleasure meeting me...really? More than likewise! As I continued my warm up, I spotted a female who I thought might be Christine Witte (one of the runners that I was responsible for)...it was! She looked fit, and I would find out later that she was...

It's almost go time. The runner who went right before me was none other then Jersey girl Rebecca Tomasson and I was able to warm up with her and have a nice chat with her about all things New Jersey! So she takes off like a bat out of Heck and I look at Aaron and we were both like "I hope she doesn't die!" She stayed strong the whole way with such determination because I knew she was hurting! "Spada, you're up next!"...

When Rebecca was on her last lap, that is when I stripped down to my shorts. Since I hadn't raced since Thunder Road half in December and I am on my 13th straight 83 mile week, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. However, recent workouts told me that I could hold 5:30 pace...I averaged 5:31...not bad! I took it out from the gun and tried to put up with as much discomfort as possible. "The cheering that I received from the 20 other like minded runners that I passed on each circuit was chilling !" Now I can say..."it was awesome!"...take that Hovis...Ha! Enough about me...

Caitlin Chrisman and her posse came out to see my last 2 laps and I was able to do part of my cool down with her. Next up was some easy running with Daniel Eggers who ran for Charlotte Christian and was getting ready for his 5k portion. We got to reminisce about his quadruple that he ran on this very same track some 10 years ago (800m in sub 2, 4x800 in sub 2, a 2 mile in 9:53 and a 1600 in 4:33...good stuff! Next up was a 4 mile cool down with Eric Bilbrey. What happened all weekend is that you would see someone running who you didn't know, then you would start cheering for them by name, and then you would meet them afterwards. Very cool...

So anyway, Eric comes up to me after he runs and says, "Caitlin said that I should run with you because you know how to pace"...ok, I'll play! We had a nice run down to McAlpine and back and I get to find out that Eric was a 15:30 5k guy running club for UNC out of Tennessee...

It was now 10am and time to run home for some breakfast after running 22 miles. Not a bad little morning!

Although my son had a lax game that afternoon, I just had to go back and witness the trio of: Jordan, Megan and JC. They put on a show. A bunch of us including: Max (laxer), Paul Mainwaring (some said he never left), Michael Kahn (stitch at mile 1) Bill Shires (some said he had the toughest conditions) were on the infield kicking around the soccer ball as the runners were up to their neck in blood lactate!

Notable sightings included (and certainly not limited to): Larry Frederick, Scott Greenapple and Larry Seavers! 

A special thanks to all of the organizers of this very memorable event, to Providence Day for the use of the track, to the timing and video production company, to Ben Hovis and Aaron Linz and Emily Barrett for all of their hard work and coordinating efforts...Great job! Get that paper work to Guinness!

Question: Does anyone know if there will be a list of some kind that lists all of the splits for each and every runner?