Thoughts on (and Memories of) the Cotton Row Run

Circa 1985 (?) Katie completes the Cotton Row Run 2 Mile Run

2004 (?) Cotton Row Run Age Group Winners  Love the shaggy hair, Rick!

The Cotton Row Run 10K, 5K, and 1 mile runs are Monday, May 30, 2011.  I mentioned volunteering at the Cotton Row Run last year, and I plan to do the same volunteering this year too.  I also "helped" by going on a training run (sponsored by Fleet Feet) a couple of weekends ago.  We met at the start line at 6 a.m. and did the course, and fellow FF team member Eric Charette had water and Gatorade waiting for us runners at the top of the big Mountain Wood hill.  I feel silly saying that I helped do anything that day since I really just ran with my friends!

Here I am in the thirteenth seed for the women.  This really intimidates me---being seeded---since I feel like it's where you are supposed to finish.  And that time is seriously fast, faster than I plan to run on Monday.  I felt like I spent the whole last month recovering from the marathon.  Giving myself zero rest days after the marathon was not smart.  My left shin just quit hurting this week, and I had to take things pretty easy while that bothered me.  Then the May 18th Run Through the Roses was rescheduled for June, and I missed my "warm up" 10K.  That race would've given me a good idea of what I was capable of in Cotton Row.  These are really all just excuses.  I hope I will do better than my last year's time (44:04), but I really would be happy beating my time from 2 years ago too (47:59).  I'll have to take what I get!

Oh, here is the top three in my age group last year:
1 14 Janet Cherobon 31 Rome GA 33:44
2 54 Shawanna White 30 Lithonia GA 39:19
3 143 Katie Maehlmann 32 Madison AL 44:04

NO chance that I would ever pull a first or second place with times like these!

Finally, Cotton Row hold dear memories to me (see the two pictures above).  I ran the 2 mile event in the Cotton Row as a young child (age 8?).  The 2 mile run has since been replaced by the 5K and 1 mile events.  My mom used to run around the neighborhoods with me, doing "practice" as she called it.  She says I used to complain, complain, complain.  And walk through our practices!  She and Dad trained for the 10K back then.  Used to be, you only got a shirt if you finished the 10K in under one hour.  She missed it by seconds one year.  She used to have to check my sister and me out of school to attend the races.  Our school was still in session, and (strangely) we did not get off for Memorial Day.  I also love seeing the very 80's running clothes in the picture of me (short shorts and high socks!).  Styles sure have changed! 

I love the Cotton Row Run.  I love its traditions, its appeal to so many locals, its out-of-state competitors, the way it is family-friendly with different start times, the "big hill," and how it really does feel like summer is finally here on Cotton Row Run Memorial Day Monday.  I wish you luck if you are running, and I hope to see you out there!