Running for Real

November 8, 2008

It is all Erica's fault - at least twice. She is the one who said I had to be in shape to run the Bolder Boulder 10K next Spring. so I have been running - and running and running. Then she said I should try to run it in under my age - so that started me running and running and running faster. Thursday I ran 10K in under 55 minutes - pretty good I said to myself - but it was all flat - and the Bolder Boulder is a gravity challenge.

Thursday afternoon I learned of a lesser challenge. The Turkey Trot was being held in Longmont on Saturday. The Turkey Trot has a 10K, but since I had done it Thursday, I deemed it unwise - no fool hardy to try it again so soon. I'm just not ready for that. But the Turkey Trot also has a 2 mile fun run. Now I have gotten to a training stage where two miles is a short morning run for me. So I figured I might venture. No, I wasn't going to. Then I told Erica and she said she would come and run with me. Rats and Drat - I was captured. I had to do it. Therefor, I decided I would do it fast. No slow even jog for me. I was going to run.

Saturday morning Erica and I went down and registered. We waited and stretched while the 10K race started and then it was our turn. And I was determined to go fast. Then they said GO. This was my first real event race. There were a lot of people and I think it invigorated and challenged me - a little too much. I left Erica soon - she didn't want or need to go fast. I passed people. I did not pace myself, which I should have because the beginning was uphill. It spent me quickly. I reached the one mile mark and checked my time - just under 8.5 minutes. I was okay with that because it was lower than my average - and it was uphill mostly up to that point - but I was spent. However the next portion was downhill and I let gravity do its best. I reached the bottom of the hill and was actually hurting, and the last 200 yards were uphill again. I was running alone. The first wave had left me but I was in front of the last wave. I pushed on, wishing I could stop. No - I didn't. I finished in 16 minutes 13 seconds. I was happy - but about ready to die. Yes, I had gone fast. For me it was real fast.

The final result was - well they put me in the wrong category. They had me in the age group just younger than I really am. And in that age group I came in third. So I looked to see where I would be in my real age group - where I really belonged. Ouch - I was seventh in that group - so I just let the error stand - I can now say that in the two mile run I was third in my group. It was good. But I also now know the virtues of planning your run.

It is all Erica's fault - and I thank her for it.