I ran a 5K in the pouring rain last Saturday. I felt like I was running all out, legs pumping and lungs wheezing and feeling like I might possibly throw up, but it turns out I actually ran it 20 or so seconds slower than I ran the same 5K last year. Ok, so accounting for the rain, maybe I ran it in about the same time. But last year I had not been running again for all that long. Since then, I've run hundreds of training miles and two half marathons, for crying out loud. I should be stronger and faster, but alas, I am not. I have to ask myself why this is and then I have to ask myself if I even care. The point, my friends--the whole point--is to stay healthy and relaxed and have fun running. But...but....last year I won my age group and I thought I could repeat this five seconds of glory. This year I was second in my age group, beat out by a local competitive runner I recognized who apparently has just moved into my age group this year (while here I am just about out the other end of it). Second place gets no five seconds of glory. Where is the fun in that? If I'm going to slog through the pouring rain on the verge of an asthma attack, I'm at least going to stick to races where you get a pretty medal even if you are 118th in your age group. Photo: Stealth Cat (totally unrelated, except for the small age-group running trophy won by yours truly 20+ years ago.)
I ran a 5K in the pouring rain last Saturday. I felt like I was running all out, legs pumping and lungs wheezing and feeling like I might possibly throw up, but it turns out I actually ran it 20 or so seconds slower than I ran the same 5K last year. Ok, so accounting for the rain, maybe I ran it in about the same time. But last year I had not been running again for all that long. Since then, I've run hundreds of training miles and two half marathons, for crying out loud. I should be stronger and faster, but alas, I am not. I have to ask myself why this is and then I have to ask myself if I even care. The point, my friends--the whole point--is to stay healthy and relaxed and have fun running. But...but....last year I won my age group and I thought I could repeat this five seconds of glory. This year I was second in my age group, beat out by a local competitive runner I recognized who apparently has just moved into my age group this year (while here I am just about out the other end of it). Second place gets no five seconds of glory. Where is the fun in that? If I'm going to slog through the pouring rain on the verge of an asthma attack, I'm at least going to stick to races where you get a pretty medal even if you are 118th in your age group. Photo: Stealth Cat (totally unrelated, except for the small age-group running trophy won by yours truly 20+ years ago.)
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