Ochsner Twilight Run 5K: The 2013 Recap

Race schedules never shake out quite like I plan. I have a personal running calendar for the fall and winter, and didn't have anything on the agenda until later in September. That changed last week when a coworker and friend conspired against me. They decided to run the Ochsner Twilight Run 5K on Friday night at Elmwood Fitness Center in Harahan. Not wanting to miss out, I decided to join them.

After work on Friday I changed in to running gear and headed to Elmwood Park. Evening runs are hard for me to get motivated for, and evening races are even more difficult. With the heat of the NOLA summer still in full swing, a race Friday evening wasn't initially my idea of fun. I met Kevin and Anne out there and registered pretty easily for the race. We hung out near the starting line for both the 1 mile and 5K races in the parking lot behind the gym. The 1 mile race started promptly at 6:30pm, and the 5K started near 7pm.

The 5K route was an out-and-back path through the warehouse district of Harahan. Essentially the course made a giant U-shape. Kevin and I lined up near the front of the pack, with the starting line spread out across the entire street. We took the first mile of the 5K quickly, and I pushed the pace at around 7:30. Shortly after the first mile marker was a water stop that we hit again at the second mile marker. The course, while not scenic, was well marked and a quick flat run. Kevin pushed harder than I in the last mile and left me in his dust. Overall I was pleased with my performance, and while I'm not conditioned to the point I need to be, I'm expecting times and endurance to get better in the coming cooler months.

The post-race party was held on the Elmwood Fitness Center outdoor basketball courts. I was pretty baffled by the amount and variety of food that local restaurants provided for the runners. There were sandwiches from Jimmy John's, fajitas from Nacho Mamas, burgers from Lee's Hamburgers, Chinese selections, Papa John's Pizza, and more. Plus there were kegs of Miller Lite and Cordina's frozen mixed drinks for legal participants. It was a pretty hefty spread that made the race registration fee almost a bargain. It also made for a Friday night where I was in bed before 10pm.

After looking at the official race results this morning, I'm happy to report that Zach Morris is still 15 years old, and Kelly Kapowski is keeping him in fine running form. He won the Male Overall Youth Division in the 5K. I'm now wondering if he brought his brick phone and ran in jorts. (Apologies to the runner who's the subject of my jokes. Clearly his parents had a great sense of humor.  This child of the 90's approves of your namesake.)