My first race

The body is an incredible machine. Last week I was ready to quit after a disastrous 16K run/walk I wasn't able to finish. Six days later I completed 1 7K run/walk with gas left in the tank. When I had totalled my weekly distance I found I had completed just under 50K in that six-day period. Quite a feat, considering I was ready to quit a week earlier.

And last Sunday my coach had registered me for a 10K race. This is something I would never have undertaken, but he had paid the fee and I was obligated to do it (well morally obligated anyway). So Sunday morning I met him and we drove to the race site. I was quite apprehensive about being able to finish, let alone participate actively.

He had brought along a racing buddy for me and when the race started, it became obvious I was holding her back. So at the one kilometre mark I set her free and she moved forward. The group dynamic of the race kept me going and I discovered that I had run halfway without stopping.

I kept my legs moving and my eyes on a woman about 100 yeards ahead of me. I decided that if she wan't going to stop, I wasn't either. And as we approached the 8K mark I decided I would pass her before the race ended. At 9K I closed the gap and caught up with her as we approached the finish line. My competitive streak gave way and we ran to the finish line together. What a rush!! I ran my first 10K race without stopping and I bested my time by 30 seconds.

And now we're into the Winter doldrums. The weather has turned cold with lots of snow. Running outodoors is less pleasant. It will be a challenge to keep my mileage up but I'm more than ever committed to achieiving my goal.

Michael