Not sure how I'm going to piece all these stories together.. but if they fall out of order, just pretend you live my life... it will all make sense.. somehow..Saturday, September 24th @ 5:30pm
SO I thought how cool a trail 5K at my local park, 10 mins from home and at 5:30pm, how could I resist?
Um.. I didn't resist that is.. there was a slight problem though... the bum ankle was still bum and well it was on trail, so uneven terrain, and well I guess I better wrap the bugger up so I don't break it.. and off i go.. for my second race of the day!
I gotta admit the day started off great.... with the Kimberton race.... but got even better with the Warwick Race.... The Warwick course was rerouted because parts of the course were washed out from all the rain. So as they were showing us the new course...was wondering if they provided a guide with that...
.. Run down this way and then go that way, turn around this tree, turn around this bush, down by this pasture and back.. and all the turns are marked and just follow the people ahead of you... and
...so the new and “improved course” was on the marshlands and had a giant grass hill… and oh yeah me… as I most certainly didn’t get enough hills this am!
Although there were not a lot of people in the race, there appeared to be a few age groupers who I KNEW were in my age group. How did I know?
Well i SPIED out their bibs with my EAGLE EYE BALLS!... LIE.. ok.. so I just casually got close enough to be able to TRY and read their ages on their race bibs and really since I am half blind I DO HAVE TO SQUINT... ok fine... So I glare at them and look really fast to try and catch their age. DAMN.
One of these women looked really exceptionally fast with sleek runners legs, and a toned body and just portrayed an air of confidence...…ok.. not going to worry about it.. i came here to have fun not compete, have fun... not compete.. just to have fun...
So I lined up in the back, not worry about placing.... have fun.. not compete... and then we were off..... It was SOO much fun giggling and squealing through the mud and fields...heck yeah... slamming tons of wet, gooey mud around.. yeah.. to run without any purpose but to have fun.. this is SOO great!!!
Around a tree.. and through the woods... and um wait... i am passing people.. and before I knew it I had caught up to the two women I had checked out in the beginning of the race... uh oh..
Super sleek legs looked o
ver her shoulder at me and sped up … UM OH NO SHE DID NOT…. and so I was off… chasing her ass across the field....we passed the other gal in our age group and I trailed her ass until the hill..
And LO AND BEHOLD sleek, legs gal… with her beautifully, toned legs .....was not a hill runner!
Not only did I overtake her on the hill … I gained a lead… GOD BLESS that I am a hill runner …
BUT no amount of hill running will make you have more oxygen when you get to the top of a hill in any course… I thought I would pass out and DIE... but now it's no longer about the fun... its about the competition...
And so it begins… I didn’t intend to run so hard … but I couldnt let either of them repass me. HELL NO!
SO not knowing if they were catching up or falling farther behind I just ran like I was on fire… I am not sure if I pushed anyone out of the way or kicked any mud on anyone but no one was getting past me.
I clocking in what I believe was my best trail 5K time ever.. I secured first in my age group and went home oxygen deficient but with an excellent age group award and a smile. OH yeah and all this play is hard work!!
The two learnings from this story are
(1) looks can be deceiving and
(2) DON’T EVER look over your shoulder at me. EVER
Results: http://runccrs.com/results/?p=1923
