Manasquan Reservoir Five Mile Race

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The Manasquan Reservoir has been my home away from home as long as I've been in Jersey. I mean I've been working there for far to long/not long enough! Every year there is a race held in the beginning of fall and every year I am grateful that I'm not working that day due to the large crowds.

This year is different though, this year I am a runner! The idea of running five miles in the past would have been dreadful, a cruel form of torture, but this year all I can think about is that the weekend is long run time so should I do two laps?

Despite working there and being a runner I never actually run at the reservoir, I've done it perhaps twice and what I do know is that one way is remarkably easier than the other. So when I pulled into the park the day before the race and saw we were NOT going the easy way I have to admit I was a bit bummed. When I left the park that evening with looming rain clouds rolling in I wondered when it would start and more importantly when that rain would end. When I woke at 4am and the rain was pouring down and I went back to bed with fingers crossed.

The ringing of my alarm had me up and out of bed in seconds. The rain was gone and the weather seemed warm. I hopped into my lucky running shorts and threw on my make shift running shirt, layering up with sweat pants my mom hates due to their enormous size and a neon blue jacket. I bounded downstairs to whip up my already prepared stuffed French toast, all I had to do was pop it on the stove and heat it up.

With the race not starting until 9, I made up this delicious prper breakfast at 6:45 and I definitely recommend it. The night before I toasted up a Sara Lee pita pocket, mashed up banana and almond butter and slapped it in between that pita. I then whipped up one egg white with a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon and threw the pita into the egg qhite concoction. This morning all I had to do was spray down my pan and pop on the pita which heated up nice and quick and turned a lovely DELICIOUS golden brown. That paired with a cup of coffee was the perfect breakfast mix before hitting up the Reservoir.

I headed over and chilled with my ranger friends until the time to start came upon me. Now despite running 10 miles every Saturday for the past two months, this five mile run gave me butterflies. I love running because unlike futbol where I get absurdly competetive and start screaming at refs, players and young ball boys, running is much more relaxing fun. Still at the start of every run I get all nervous.

The clock on the wall in our bait shop said 9am. Five minutes later I mosied on up to the starting line. Before I made it to the crowd however, I chatted it up with the rangers who were now meandering around a bit just waiting for the race to start and end. I could hear the READY, SET, GO of the announcer so I peaced out and headed into the woods as the very last racer amongst the group.

Weather couldn't be better this morning. Unlike the Spring Lake race which was cold and rainy or the Meridian one which was a bit warm, but this morning was ideal. At 9 the sun was out and shining bright, but the breeze coming off the water was a spectacular combo. Emerging into the sun after being in the shade was warm and fabulous, returning to the shade of the forest was refreshing and cooling. The weather was PERFECT!

Around I went, slowly but surely passing people here and there. I waved to the rangers who were set up along the path and bobbed and weaved around folks who were unaware that a race would be going down today.

The last mile and a half is always the hardest. The hill starts and NEVER seems to end. Up and up you go and where the end is you never know! Honestly its painful, like my butt muscles are suddenly like Oh hello hill nice to meet you. Finally however the hill breaks and its smooth sailing from there.

That hill is the only area that other racers passed me. Up we all went and my stead 8:30 pace dropped as it felt like my legs were made of sand bags. But recovering once the hill had passed I regained my position ahead of two out of three people that had managed to by pass me.

With the end in sight I booked it. My butt on fire, knee feeling janky I ran as hard and fast as my body could take. The rangers cheered me on. No not really, as I finished I was questioned as to why I didn't come in first. I laughed through gasps of cold air being sucked into my lungs. I smiled and once again through up the peace sign to my buddies and headed back out onto the trail, where I would do another four miles before calling it a day.

Overall this was one of the better races I have run back here in America, but I could be saying that because I have a SERIOUS bias towards the Manasquan Reservoir. There was a small crowd which makes me a bit sad, but it was a good crowd and as always I have to give props to my ranger homies who ran the race superbly, setting it up and breaking it down. Can't wait to do it again next year!!!

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