Running with the animals

December 5 we moved our group Wednesday run to an new location...the Lowry Park Zoo. There was a Christmas 5k Jingle Bell Run which drew a really huge crowd. This was my first race. We arrived early and had plenty of time as a group before the race. I was registered by a little after 6:00 and the race did not start until after 7:00 PM. One of my team brought jingle bells so we decked ourselves with a lot of jingling.

The parking lot was loaded with people when the flow of bobbing heads started to move. The mass moved along slowly until we hit the first bridge over a culvert. That slowed us even more. After the bridge, we started to move and by the turn at the big tree we were spreading out. After we got less crowded we went into the Zoo entrance and cones were set up to move us around the zoo. I have never seen the zoo so fast. We raced on the wooden walkways which overlook the bears and flamingos and down through the displays for the snakes and manatees. A lot of doublebacks so we would see one side of the walkway going up and the other coming back. We were directed back outside again and then back in for another spin by the animals.

Most were sleeping but the Christmas music was playing and it was lots of fun. The finish line opened out to the area where the spouting water sprays usually cool off visiting little ones but this time instead of water sprays, we had decadent chocolate cake, pizza and beer. That is a fun way to finish your running.

We had a good team turnout and lots of fun. My 3 miles finished in 44:10 which is below the 15 minute mark which will finish my half Marathon in fine fashion.