CaraCara 5k

It's always great to learn something new and that's how i found out about this event. While scrolling through a list of races i came across an odd sounding one, CaraCara. Cara what, i thought before clicking on the link. I was treated to a new site, a pretty bird with a catchy name and orange and brown coloring.
I learned that it was endangered and less than two hundred pairs are in Florida.It was losing its prized habitat to development. Dispite being on the verge of signing up for the flock of birds run in Jacksonville i knew these birds were more in need of my attention. I had to enter this race and even though it had been raining for weeks i was ready to get a little dirty. Besides it was listed as a trail run and Ive never tried an off road race, so i went for it.
I will admit discovering the event two weeks before it was to take place had me off kilter, i never rush into things. So i kept watching the Facebook page and waiting for interest to pickup. Traffic on the website never did. Then while shopping I happened to see post cards and a flyer at a local instrument store that doubles as a spoken word and music venue. The organizers were really trying to get the word out that there was to be a drum circle before the race and i thought it sounded pretty cool.
Two days before the event a final notice appeared on my news feed. I was not interested in paying an extra five bucks for race day signup especially since there was no bling involved. I hopped in the truck and made my way to a local eattery where the organizer was accepting in person registration.
I met the organizer a former runner who do to injury was not able to continue to run. She wanted to stay involved with the sport so she gave birth to this race with a good cause. I plunked down my entry fee and was given a bib and a shirt i then prayed that it wouldnt rain during the race.

The morning of the festivities i decided to forgo the early morning drumming. The area had been soaked by rain, i was sure the mosquitos were going to be happy. I waited until dawm for at least some light. That was a mistake, the field we were to park in was mud city and very few spaces were left on the edges to park.Ten minutes and lots of help later i found a muddy spot that my truck wouldn't get stuck in. It was off to the starting line, i made it with two mimutes to spare. I had been nursing a bad knee for a month and to be honest running was out at the time for me. I did what i could but that was only short sprints. Walking the three miles was my plan for the day. When the horn sounded we were off like cattle at feeding time. A pickup truck served as pacer at the start of the race. The course curved around so that i could follow the leaders well into the second mile. I was dead last by the half mile mark when a little boy went running by. An older lady was about 100 yaeds from me but when she realized she was second to last she turned on the jets too. As her lead increased i resigned myself to not back of the pack but DEAD LAST. I really didnt feel to bad but it did bother me. I felt strong and was moving to the best of my ability. I looked around and the only souls around were me, the birds (i saw heron, an oriole and a few i could not indentify) and the gators. Since i was last i kept looking for a good photo opportunity. The right picture never came along though. With the only person in front of me long gone i was truly alone with my thoughts. It was just like training only with the addition of calls from wildlife.

I worried i wouldn't find my way back but alas it was a large loop. By the time i passed the only water station i resolved to keep pushing and just do my time.A runner who had long since finnished ran by me in the opposite direction and high fived me. I wonder why people have to tell the big girl good job. Im sure they mean well but I'm competitive too im out there trying to beat my time and yours dude. Earlier I had forgotten to check my phone because when the race started i thought my chip would be working. Im guessing ten minutes in is when i checked my time so i ran that distance more past the ending marker to figure my time. No use asking the time clock people because as i neared the finnish line one thing was clear. Noone was waiting for me, well i did come alone. I just thought i would at least have gotten a finnish line with the strip that records your time but there was just a pink ribbon on a short wooden post and not one person around. Which i guess explains why my time wasnt recorded. I could see all the other runners walking around in the small vendor area so i walked towards them and found a juice. On the bright side there was something to drink leftover but in case there wasn't i did bring my own. Oh and the highlight, the zoo which was one of the sponsors brought out a caracara. They are in the falcon family but feed on carrion more like vultures.

Im glad i did not pay much for this race. Twenty five bucks and no frills. If this is trail running or in my case walking then its probably my last one. I made the most of adventure but the attacks by the hundreds of mosquito flying around was not enjoyable . Having never been to the wetlands before I'd say the experience wasn't bad. My estimated time was around fifty minutes which is my average. Im just sorry i dont know for sure.Now i can say i walked a trail and all i got was this tshirt.