Race Result: Hershey's 5k

I love the "Race Report from a person who didn't do the race," it's honestly the reason I run.

Anyway I spoke to Kip on Saturday after the Hershey's Track and Field Games 5k out in good ol' Hershey PA. You know, right down the proverbial Hershey Highway. Ha. Anyway $300 was on the line for young Kipchirchir, who I've got to give props to because he raced under his full name Kipchirchir Bitok. Phenomenal!

After a tepid first mile to feel the race out, and of course by tepid I mean still faster than I can run one mile right now, Kip found himself in the lead with a talented young runner from Penn State. Told this gentleman would not be racing today, Kip now knew he was going to have to race if he wanted the W. They pass two miles in 9:37. From that point, it was on.

They were told that the race would finish on a track, just one straightaway worth of rubber. They approach the track and Kip gives everything he's got, pulls away and sprints to the back end, thinking the race was over. But where's the finish line? Oh, that would be on the other track, hidden away through the woods. A deflated Kip gets passed "as if I'm standing still" by the PSU guy. Oh well, $200 for 2nd place isn't too bad, I'll just let him win. Or better yet, how about this kid thinks HE'S done with the race prematurely now! Yeah, that's right, a double premature esprintulation. Kip returns the favor, passing the kid (who mistakenly thought at 3 miles he was done, oh if it weren't for that last 0.1!) and notching the victory. That makes it Kip's 4th victory since May 12, excluding what would have been #5 at the Dundalk 6k.

Kip's 14:48 was good enough for first over 2nd (14:52) and 3rd (14:58) and of course master's runner and 4th place finisher Elarbi Khattabi's 15:05. Quick race up front! The girls didn't need to run as fast, with the women's winner going a stellar 19:27.

Kip also got to meet track and field legends Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis. In a text message received at 11:14 a.m., Kip writes, "Michael Johnson is not the nicest person but Carl Lewis is full of awesomeness."