Women's Basketball Hall of Fame 4Kay - Race Report

This past weekend I had the pleasure of walking the WBHOF 4K for Kay with my mother.  The race is held every year in honor of Kay Yow, former NC state women's basketball coach, who died of cancer in 2009.

We arrived 30 minutes early to get registered and settle in. 

I made a point to have my camera there for pictures.  I rarely get good race photos and knew that walking this one meant I had a better opportunity.  We posed for pictures before hand, but my dad said we were smiling too big in the pictures.  This pose was especially for him.



We made our way toward the back to get in position.  I hate getting stuck behind walkers when I'm trying to run a race, and I think we did a great job picking a spot this time.  We were out of the way of the runners, but positioned in the front of the most of the other walkers.  As we crossed the start line, I noticed our cheering section going wild.

That's my dad in the brown t-shirt and Jay in the WV hat.  That's as wild as they get.  My dad has made us travel all across the country visiting other sports hall of fame's, but had never visited this one - despite it being right next door.  The HOF was open (and free) so Jay and Daddy took advantage of that while we raced.

One of the few walkers we didn't get in front of at the start was the 92 year old man who set a state 5K record the last race I did.   His 5K time was better than my parents' 5K PR.   "We have to beat him!"

That's right, our main goal was beating a 92 year old.  Our secondary goal was beating the pace my parents walked the Covenant 5K last year.  She's sworn since the race that she could have done it faster but that Daddy was dragging her down.  This was her chance to prove it.

We  talked with a couple of other walkers as we went. Its a family thing - we can't not talk.  Even to strangers.  Its the south though, everyone down here is use to it.  :P

My mom wanted to jog a time or two, in an attempt to catch up with the walker-walker and by the turn around spot we caught him.  I'll admit that there were a couple times on the way back in that we might have said "I hear the wheels of the walker - let's jog!"

I was really proud of how hard she pushed herself (or I pushed her and she let me) this race.  Its her first since her surgery earlier in the year and she did a great job.  We stayed together until the end.  It was a non-chipped/shoot finish so she had me go slightly ahead of her.

We finished in 36:30 by my watch - that's a sub 15 m/m pace! We definitely achieved both of our goals for the race.  Then it was time to head inside for the award ceremony.  No shock that we didn't win, but I was surprised to find out our rabbit didn't win the 80-99 age group.  Apparently there was another 80+ man in the race! 

You know I can't pass up an opportunity to cheese for the camera!

After the awards we hung out so that we could meet/get autographs of the Hall of Fame class of 2011.  In the bottom level of the HOF, they have a "past, present, and future" interactive section.  "Past" has an old school hoop (complete with net that doesn't release the ball), "Present" a standard basket, and "future" is a lowered basket for kids.

Since the other two were taken, Jay and I shot on the "past" hoop.  Given the nature of the net, Jay got a to use his vertical skills - hitting the ball out of the hoop backwards with each made shot.

Then it was time for autographs.

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To be honest, I don't follow sports much so I didn't know any of these ladies.  It was still fun meeting them all and getting my bib signed.

All in all it was a great race/morning!

Did you race this weekend?