(Horse Race trumpets sounding.."Ta ta da da da da da ta da da...) "BANG"! "And they're off"!!
Well, dear Readers, here's what happened.
I was psych'd and ready. Confidence was high. Heck, I've been running between 8 and 10 a day and 12 on Saturdays. So. 6.2 mi is a "walk in the park, eh"?! The throngs were impressive. Actually, the 10k in Niles is touted to be one of the tougher courses in the midwest, because of the many hills in the course. Some the gathering are people from all over the country and I even spoke with a couple from Germany who'd (not just for the race) come to try it.
The moment had come and we started moving outside to the Starting line. It was a beautiful morning and I decided to wear half the weather gear I'd been wearing since the Cold came to town (another bonus). The race is comprised of 3 parts; Walk, 5k and 10k, even a Fun Run for the Kiddies.
The moment arrived and the gun sounded. I was thinking, "OK, the 10k is next. this is the 5k, right?" I asked a gent standing next to me if it was the 5k runners to which he said yes. However, something didn't look right. The runners leaving looked different then the next in line. I asked another couple if it was the 5k group. They said, "No, we're 5k". ...?!...?.."HOLY SH..!!!" Five minutes passed to let the 10k runners start. I was LAST IN LINE from the Start!! "RUN FORREST, RUN!!" And I did! I ran harder than I ever have. I was passing people in the rear gaining on the front. Then I thought, "Slow down, the hills will kill you running like this". I slowed down and found my everyday running pace. I decided to increase it a bit after a mile had passed. In my mind I envisioned every stretch of the course. I knew the course. I have run the hills almost every week in my training. I WAS READY.
My pace impressed me. Must've been the adrenilin and the thought of "for the 1st time in my life I WANT TO WIN". The race was for me. The last few months of my life were behind me. The petty BS, everything toxic was not in my head. BALLS! I HAVE BALLS! (course, you don't want to fall asleep on a sofa in a robe if you own a cat I hear in your latter years)...
I was still passing runners. I figured my pace at 8mi, or less. I knew I would kill my time from years before. And then, the Ultimate No No. I was running and following the line in the road looking down so as not to disturb my trance. In the corner of my eye I noticed a runner coming up "fast". "Wha's this"?!! "OH,..MY...GAWD! SHE...IS...SOOOOO...HOT"!! "Oh no. RUN FORREST"!! I was not going to do that! "It broke my trance!" So, a 1/4 mi later I am almost winded, thinking to myself, "what were you thin....?!" I dropped my pace fast. Half to what it was. That nearly killed my run. It was the runner's no no. "Won't do that again". "Well,..mmm, who knows, she was H O T".
The hills passed. The hill I knew I would have the most issue with was before me. (The hills in Niles are not by far the biggest, but we do have the highest elevations in Berrien County. They are long and gradual making it more challenging for runners). The one before me was the longest and had turns making it very difficult. I paced myself once again looking down to gain my trance. I was 3/4 of the way to the end of the hill when I heard someone coming up behind me. "Not again". I pushed, knowing my limits on the hill. "Dammit, I am not an old man and I am going to win"!! I pushed until I thought my Heart Specialist would say, "I told you so". "Screw it, Doc! This is something greater than another $1,500 Echocardiogram!!"
I started passing others, then more! "YEAH, BABEE!!!!"
Rounding the top of the hill brings you to another. This one is the same, yet no turns and, it's the same distance downhill as up which gives many runners an opportunity to gain their distance on the "leading pack". I made it mine.
Through it all I knew I was running the best I have in all the 40 years I've been running. I knew I had won, at least my division. In the end however, my stupidity said otherwise. I didn't place 1st, or even 3rd. I was bummed. But, I knew had I started at the time I was supposed to and toward the front of the pack, I would've nailed it by knocking 5 minutes off my time. 5 minutes! As it was, my pace was 7mph, impressive for me. Enough to walk away proud of what I had set out to do. Impressive enough to know that I can still accomplish my goals. I need that. Today, I am going to go out and run 13.
I can do that you know, because I am the, "WORLD'S MOST UNFAMOUS ARTIST"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peace.
Well, dear Readers, here's what happened.
I was psych'd and ready. Confidence was high. Heck, I've been running between 8 and 10 a day and 12 on Saturdays. So. 6.2 mi is a "walk in the park, eh"?! The throngs were impressive. Actually, the 10k in Niles is touted to be one of the tougher courses in the midwest, because of the many hills in the course. Some the gathering are people from all over the country and I even spoke with a couple from Germany who'd (not just for the race) come to try it.
The moment had come and we started moving outside to the Starting line. It was a beautiful morning and I decided to wear half the weather gear I'd been wearing since the Cold came to town (another bonus). The race is comprised of 3 parts; Walk, 5k and 10k, even a Fun Run for the Kiddies.
The moment arrived and the gun sounded. I was thinking, "OK, the 10k is next. this is the 5k, right?" I asked a gent standing next to me if it was the 5k runners to which he said yes. However, something didn't look right. The runners leaving looked different then the next in line. I asked another couple if it was the 5k group. They said, "No, we're 5k". ...?!...?.."HOLY SH..!!!" Five minutes passed to let the 10k runners start. I was LAST IN LINE from the Start!! "RUN FORREST, RUN!!" And I did! I ran harder than I ever have. I was passing people in the rear gaining on the front. Then I thought, "Slow down, the hills will kill you running like this". I slowed down and found my everyday running pace. I decided to increase it a bit after a mile had passed. In my mind I envisioned every stretch of the course. I knew the course. I have run the hills almost every week in my training. I WAS READY.
My pace impressed me. Must've been the adrenilin and the thought of "for the 1st time in my life I WANT TO WIN". The race was for me. The last few months of my life were behind me. The petty BS, everything toxic was not in my head. BALLS! I HAVE BALLS! (course, you don't want to fall asleep on a sofa in a robe if you own a cat I hear in your latter years)...
I was still passing runners. I figured my pace at 8mi, or less. I knew I would kill my time from years before. And then, the Ultimate No No. I was running and following the line in the road looking down so as not to disturb my trance. In the corner of my eye I noticed a runner coming up "fast". "Wha's this"?!! "OH,..MY...GAWD! SHE...IS...SOOOOO...HOT"!! "Oh no. RUN FORREST"!! I was not going to do that! "It broke my trance!" So, a 1/4 mi later I am almost winded, thinking to myself, "what were you thin....?!" I dropped my pace fast. Half to what it was. That nearly killed my run. It was the runner's no no. "Won't do that again". "Well,..mmm, who knows, she was H O T".
The hills passed. The hill I knew I would have the most issue with was before me. (The hills in Niles are not by far the biggest, but we do have the highest elevations in Berrien County. They are long and gradual making it more challenging for runners). The one before me was the longest and had turns making it very difficult. I paced myself once again looking down to gain my trance. I was 3/4 of the way to the end of the hill when I heard someone coming up behind me. "Not again". I pushed, knowing my limits on the hill. "Dammit, I am not an old man and I am going to win"!! I pushed until I thought my Heart Specialist would say, "I told you so". "Screw it, Doc! This is something greater than another $1,500 Echocardiogram!!"
I started passing others, then more! "YEAH, BABEE!!!!"
Rounding the top of the hill brings you to another. This one is the same, yet no turns and, it's the same distance downhill as up which gives many runners an opportunity to gain their distance on the "leading pack". I made it mine.
Through it all I knew I was running the best I have in all the 40 years I've been running. I knew I had won, at least my division. In the end however, my stupidity said otherwise. I didn't place 1st, or even 3rd. I was bummed. But, I knew had I started at the time I was supposed to and toward the front of the pack, I would've nailed it by knocking 5 minutes off my time. 5 minutes! As it was, my pace was 7mph, impressive for me. Enough to walk away proud of what I had set out to do. Impressive enough to know that I can still accomplish my goals. I need that. Today, I am going to go out and run 13.
I can do that you know, because I am the, "WORLD'S MOST UNFAMOUS ARTIST"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Peace.
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