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Race Result

Racer: Steve Giorgis
Race: Herndon Turkey Trot
Date: Saturday, November 20, 2004
Location: Herndon, VA
Race Type: Run - 5 km
Age Group: Male 45 - 49
Time: 0:18:41
Overall Place: 10 / 700
Age Group Place: 3
Comment: It happened again....



Race Report:



It happened again....

It was about 2 years ago at swim practice when my son, Matt (13 back then), beat me for the first time. I remember it well, it was at the end of practice and we were doing a 100 IM for time. We were pretty even up to the free, and I couldn't stay with him on that final length of the pool. I remember grinning under water as he pulled away. From that point on, he's been crushing me in swimming. But I could always out run him.

He started running last fall with the high school cross country team and did OK as a freshman, nothing great. In track, he got down to a 5:15 mile, but I could still take him. This past summer, we would run together quite a bit, and I still had the edge. With the XC team, he ran even more and did a lot of quality work while I was tapering for and then recovering from my first IM-distance race. XC ended for him on 11/4 and he's been in the pool swimming since then, only running twice in the past 2 weeks. We entered the local Herndon Turkey Trot 5K just like we did last year. It's a great community race on the local golf course where lots of kids and whole families run together. Age group winners get a turkey, and second place gets a pumpkin pie. Between Matt and I, we each secretly knew the stakes were much higher...bragging rights at the dinner table.

As always, it was a frantic first half mile as many kids insist on lining up on the start line. I looked around; Matt was in front of me and Greg, a Jr. on the XC team who out-kicked me last year, was beside me. After that first half mile, I had to back off the gas a little to get my breathing back. Much to my surprise, Matt didn't. (He remarked later as to how easy the first mile was.) By the time I recovered, he had a 20 yard lead on me. I figured his lack of training was going to catch up with him in the 2nd mile and then I could close the gap. Sure. I was pretty much red-lining it and not making up anything. I was passing people but he was too. One mile to go, one last push. Now he had about 40 yards on me. Towards the end of the race, I realized he had me. So what else would a father do...I started cheering for him...out loud. He was racing some 30-something guy who was a foot taller than him. "Go with him Matt." "Use your kick!"

Guess who came home with a turkey.

Now I need to get him a bike... ;-)

PL NAME AGE CITY ST TIME
============================================================
1. Glen Weaver 16 Manassas VA 17:34
2. Logan Williams 26 Great Falls VA 17:44
3. George Buckheit 47 Reston VA 17:47
4. Heath Packard 22 Arlington VA 17:58
5. Ken Halla 41 Alexandria VA 18:12
6. Tom Crandall 39 Reston VA 18:25
7. Matt Giorgis 15 Herndon VA 18:28
8. Edward Milenski 37 Potomac Falls VA 18:29
9. Jorge Banales 35 Arlington VA 18:33
10. Steve Giorgis 49 Herndon VA 18:41