Race #498 -- Shiloh 5k Mission Run -- Faith, NC -- 07/03/21

 


Just outside Salisbury, the Town of Faith, North Carolina, with a population of around 800 residents, is known for its big Fourth of July celebration that has been held since 1946 and has drawn visitors from all over, including President George W. Bush who came to the celebration on July 4, 1992. This 5k race is a part of the festivities and is held at Shiloh Baptist Church, which is right in the middle of the action, but since it's early in the morning, it's before the big crowds arrive. I enjoyed running the race in 2019 and wanted to return for another go at it this year.

You may remember that from the beginning of the year until recently my weight had dropped from 172 to 152 pounds, resulting in a pretty big improvement in my race times this year after almost dropping out of running altogether in 2020. This week the bottom dropped out though, and my steady improvement took a step back. Before I left home I stepped on the scale and it read 158. Yikes, my undisciplined eating has come back to haunt me.

When the race started I couldn't help thinking about how just two weeks earlier I ran almost effortlessly at the half marathon in Michigan, taking only three short walk breaks that I had planned for water and GU. Here I was two weeks later with legs feeling like lead. Forget about my plan to build my heart rate up to 155 then stay there for the entire race. For at least the first half of the race I wasn't even able to reach a 155 heart rate, and even if I did I had to stop and walk because I was so exhausted. I ended up taking a total of nine walk breaks in this three-mile race, which would have been fine if I had planned it that way like I had done months previously when I was using the Galloway run/walk method, but these breaks were taken just as a result of plain old pain and suffering. I wish I could blame the weather but it was fine. I'll just hope I was having a bad week. Steve Staley, who I had beaten in the last couple of races, beat me bad in this one by a minute and a half. On the plus side, it made me want to get seriously back on my diet, which is the plan for the coming week leading up the The Scream Half Marathon.

There were no official race photos, but the T-shirt was great, the post-race food was okay, and there was a drawing for all of the runners that was really good, with lots of gift certificates and other goodies.

Race Name: Shiloh 5k Mission Run

Location: Faith, North Carolina

Date: July 3, 2021

Race Rating:  84

Top 10:


My Age Group (65-69):


Course:


Elevation by Mile:

Weather at Start:


Click Here for Race Results

My Stats:

  • Time:  26:04
  • Pace:  8:23
  • Age Group: 2 of 5 
  • Overall:  28 of 99
  • Average Heart Rate:  151
  • Maximum Heart Rate:  162
  • Age Grade Percentage:  66.88%

This graph might give some indication of how miserable I was feeling for this race. The nine spikes are the times I stopped to walk. Less obvious is the red line showing my heart rate, but it was a struggle to reach the 155 bpm that I try to run at during races.


Big group of friends at the race!



***************

* RACE RATING *

***************


RACE COURSE 

0 - Chip & Gun Timing: (3 points if yes)

2 - Water Stops: (0)none  (2)normal  (5)extras [Gu, sports drink, etc.]

1 - Course Marking:  (0)bad  (1)good

3 - Course Scenery:  (0-5) 1=bad  and 5=fantastic

1 - Mile Markers: (0)poor or none  (1)normal  (2)with clocks or time called out

2 - Volunteers:  (0)too few  (2)good

5 - Finish line: (0-9)   0=bad  and 9=spectacular!

0 - Certified Course: (0)no  (2) yes

2 - Correct Distance: (0)no  (2)yes

1 - Partly or fully on unpaved roads:  (0)yes  (1)no


REGISTRATION 

2 - Cost:  (0)expensive  (2)reasonable  (5)cheap!

3 - Race Day Registration:  (0)no  (3)yes


RESULTS

2 - Posted online within 24 hours:  (0)no  (2)yes

1 - Easy to find results:  (0)no  (1)yes


AGE GROUPS

2 - 3 deep awards: (2)yes (0 for anything less)

5 - 5-year age groups (5 points) (0 for anything less)

1 - 14 and under group (1)

1 - 65+ group (1)

1 - 70+ group (1)

2 - Top Overall M/F:  (0)none; (1) first only; (2)top 3 or better

0 - Masters Category(40+): (0)no  (2)yes

0 - Grand Masters Category (50+):  (0)no  (3)yes

0 - Senior Grand Masters Category: (0)no  (5)yes


AWARDS

2 - Overall Winner Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent

2 - Age Group Awards: (0)none  (2)yes  (5)excellent

9 - Door Prizes or Drawing: (0-9)

0 - Finisher Medals for All Finishers: (0)no  (3)yes  (5)really cool medals


POST RACE 

4 - Food for Race Participants: (0-10 with 5 being average)

7 - Venue (Entertainment, Race Setting, etc.): (1-9)

0 - Finisher times posted after race:  (0)no  (2)yes


REST ROOMS 

0 - Porta Potties:  (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful

2 - Indoor Restrooms: (0)no  (1)limited, long lines  (2)plentiful


T-SHIRTS

2 - T-Shirts: (0)no  (2)yes

4 - Design: (1-5)

3 - Material Quality: (1-3)

0 - Discount for no-shirt option:  (0)no (2)yes


PHOTOGRAPHY 

0 - Professional Photography: (0)no  (5)yes

0 - Prices: (1)expensive  (3)reasonable  (5)cheap

0 - Free Photographs (newspaper, etc.):  (0)no  (1-10)yes 


PARKING 

2 - Close to Start:  (2)yes  (0)no

2 - Close to Finish:  (2)yes  (0)no

2 - Plenty of spaces:  (2)yes  (0)no

2 - Free Parking:  (2)yes  (0)no


OTHER

2 - Shelter from Inclement Weather (needed or not): (0)no  (2)yes

0 - Swag (free socks, water bottles, etc.): (0)no  (2)yes, some  (5)excellent

0 - Part of race series or Grand Prix:  (0)no  (2)yes

2 - Kids Fun Run: (0)no   (2)yes

x - Miscellaneous not covered above: (-10 to +10)


TOTAL:  84


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