Ran Depot Park's Free Saturday Morning 5K Today

Having originally intended to sign up and run for a different race for today, that one for 15K, I was curtailed from signing up online with no information provided on being able to do so on race morning. So, I decided instead to go for a known quantity: the Depot Parkrun just south of downtown Gainesville, which holds free Saturday morning 5K events each week, promptly posting results online with an ever-increasing database of past results.  This was my ninth Parkrun since 2019, and I was pleased and honored for Melissa to join me...she hadn't been to this pretty nature-oriented park before and went as a walker, covering half the race's distance and enjoying the ambiance and enthusiasm of others.  As for that other race, they did later send me an email stating that I could sign up on race morning...but they could have expressed that on their website but didn't and, besides, I had already made other plans.  This morning the temperature was in the pleasant upper fifties, but the humidity was a muggy 100%: ugh.  There were lots of people at the part to run it...or, in Melissa's case, walk the sloping and winding course around the park: four laps make the 5K (3.1 mile) distance.  Around the one-lap mark the top of my left foot started to ache some and I wondered if it would get worse and I'd have to stop.  Fortunately, the problem abated, and I ran a consistent-but-subdued pace to finish the race in 40th place out of 92 finishers and second in my age group (M 65-69) with a time of 31:46...click HERE to view the results. With that foot issue I am wondering whether I should just stick with the heavier, more padded shoes I use during regular training and forget about the lighter and less protective racing shoes...maybe I'll try another Depot Parkrun and see.  I recommend this race...the folks are all friendly and helpful, the park is beautiful with its birds and trees and lake, and they have excellent bathroom facilities, something I've grown to never take for granted.  I'll have to check my online running calendar website to see if there are any interesting races left in December...otherwise I'll just stick with my at-home training and this Depot Park event until 2023 rolls around.  Oh, one other thing...there's a cool bagel place, Luke's, on the west side of Main Street just north of the turnoff circle to the park...they're really good, New York style, although you probably will have to wait a while in line for them to take and complete your order...