The Silver Strider online presents
 

Fall City 5k and 10k

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By Jerry Dietrich
with photos by Bruce Fisher

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June 8, 2024 – Fall City

Summer is officially here. The hot sun scored heavily in both races. Some of us who were severely overdressed and some in the 10k who simply overheated, paid a price.

Some heat victims staggered into the finish area to find the finish line was gone. It was required to be dismantled a full half hour before the parade was scheduled to start.

Two Silver Striders managed to post National Class times on the flat fast course.

John Leo, age 59, wearing shorts and a singlet, blistered the 10k course in 38:47.

Helle Vu, age 61, also dressed properly in shorts and singlet posted a 22:53 in the 5k.

I was one of the dumber entrants. I started the 5k wearing 3 shirts (one was long sleeved acrylic). By the time I reached the turnaround I was on fire. There was no shade anywhere on the course, only the hot unrelenting sun.

I removed all three shirts at the turnaround deciding to return to the finish topless, but then I recalled my image as I exited the shower that morning and returned one short sleeved shirt to my torso. There was no water on the course and I began to stagger during the third mile. There must have been some at the turnaround and I missed it.

The 10k runners who started 15 minutes ahead of the 5k runners were streaming by me on my return trip. 10k runners taking more than 82 minutes didn’t get their time recorded. Arriving at the start finish point they found the timing mats were gone and in some cases the overheated runners continued staggering onward through the pedestrian crowded street. 

I have to blame myself for my misfortune, because I was way overdressed. You would think that someone with 45 years of racing experience wouldn’t fall victim to this kind of disaster. 

The days leading up to the race had been in the low 50’s and the heat caught some of us slower people by surprise. 

Congratulations to Kent Sizer, who finished his 8th race in the Series. Kent joined previous finishers Edythe Hulet, Judy Fisher, Nancy Larsen, and Jerry Dietrich. All are official Series finishers and will receive their finishers trophy at the awards party next January.

The first Silver Striders in the 5k were Matt Weir and Helle Vu. Matt, age 51, finished in 23:16. Helle, age 61, finished in 22:53. Helle’s time was National Class.

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Here are the 5k finishing results as recorded by Bruce Fisher 

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The first Silver Striders to finish the 10k were John Leo, age 59, in 38:41 and Sue Heaps in 49:34. John’s time was National Class.

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Here are the 10k finishing results as recorded by Bruce Fisher