Another Race

Do You Race

I ran in a six mile race this weekend. It started at 8 am and ended an hour and one minute later. The weather wasn’t bad. It was raining but it was light rain. I remember wishing for rain when I ran the same race last year. It was so humid. So, a little rain wasn’t going to kill me. Gary and I arrived around 7:15 am. I needed to pick up my race packet, since I didn’t do that the night before. I got my packet, a t- shirt and a pair of sunglasses Gary promptly put on his face. I attached my bib to my shirt and was all set for the race. Since it wasn’t starting for another half an hour, Gary and I went and stood outside. It rained all the way to Eau Claire, WI. Which is where the race was. It had stopped and was just cloudy. Gary was constantly checking his phone for weather updates. He told me it’s going to start raining at 8 am, when my six-mile race started, and it would rain until it was over. I told him he was the bearer of bad news. Shortly before 8 am we stood at the start line. It started raining a couple of minutes before 8. Countdown and we were off and running.

I'm A Runner

I ran the first mile with ease and was delighted how fast the first mile marker came up. The 2nd marker seemed like it took a lot longer. Seeing the 3-mile marker ahead I told myself I was halfway done; I could do this. Somehow, I missed the four-mile marker, which I did last year also. The next marker I saw was the five. I thought oh good I only have one mile left. I’ve got this. The last mile I had to run uphill for quite a way. The hill kicked my butt. I was so tired when I was done. Breathing hard and slowing down was the only thing I could do for a bit. I picked up my speed after a little while and was running at a good pace for the rest of the race. The six-mile marker was good to see. Running across the finish line is always a blessing. After being handed water and a banana I opened the water and took a long drink. Waiting for my heart to get back to normal, my husband Gary showed me my time. The time he recorded me at. I told him we will see what my official time was. Gary's time was only one second off. So, he did well. My official time was one hour, one minute and 47 seconds. Not bad for a 64-year-old. It was under a ten-minute mile. I’ll take it and run with it.

I am A Winner

I knew I didn’t win in my age group because when the race first started a woman standing by me asked me what pace I ran at. I told her I just wanted to cross the finish line. She told me she ran the buckshot run. Which is a run in September in Eau Claire WI also. Her time was an 8:45 minute mile, and she did better when she picked out someone ahead of her and kept them in sight. I told her it wouldn’t be me because I didn’t run that fast. She was 60 years old, so she was in my age group. When I looked at the results they posted I saw her there, she was first place in my age group. I was second. I’ll take it. I think I may have been the oldest female running. A lot of younger people, who I also beat. Everyone has a different running style. Mine is endurance. I can run a long distance, but I am not the fastest. I passed many younger girls who were walking. Something I never do either. Once I start running, I don’t like to stop running until the race is over. On the norm I do not.

There were more men than women running. Which kind of surprised me, because I thought more women than men ran. Guess not. Not in that race anyway.

Good God I Had a Headache

On the way home Gary and I were talking, and I developed an instant headache. I felt like I was going to vomit. When we arrived home Gary gave me some Ibuprofen. I took four and went to lay down. After a short nap and a bottle of Diet Dew I felt better. Slightly enough to take Ernie, our rescue dog for a walk. The walk made me feel better also. By the time I got home the headache was gone. I didn’t feel one hundred percent, but I did feel better. Gary told me maybe I shouldn’t run that specific race anymore.  Eau Claire does have one in September that is a five-mile race. I could run that one next year instead of this one. I’ll have to think about it. Last year when it was so muggy outside, I told myself I wasn’t running this race anymore. However, I received an email about it for this year and found myself signing myself up. Who knows what next year will bring. Or if I’ll even still be running. Blasphemy. I cannot imagine myself not running. But who knows what a year will bring.

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I’ll keep my feet to the pavement as long as I can.

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I was running in a new pair of Brooks. First time I wore them. I love Brooks.

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Run swiftly and safely. Be you.

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