Racing June and July

With all the traveling that I was fortunate enough to do in June and July I was able to work in a total of five races in four states. The first race was my 3rd in Florida and was the day after my niece's party so it made for a rough start to the morning. I got up at 4:00 a.m. and did some tests to make sure that I was ok to drive the hour and a half to the race. The race itself was well organized and was held in a beautiful park. While it wasn't to hot the humidity was 92% and that was rough. I didn't run a particularly good time but still managed to finish 3rd in my age group.

HUMID! Stacie said it was the alcohol coming out of my pores. 

The second of five races and second of four states was a 5K in Georgia when Clarence and I left Fred and Leah's and headed back to Athens. Georgia became the 27th different state that I have raced in since I started racing again after 60. The other 26 I did at least a half marathon distance. While I would like to race in the other 23 states, the race can be as short as a one mile race and I will be satisfied. While the Georgia race only had 88% humidity it had hills and some sandy roads. Again the time wasn't very impressive but I was 2nd in my age group.

After I returned from Florida and Georgia I was home for a few days and then left to drive to Colorado. I'll blog about the trip in other posts but I will include the races here. Two years ago when I visited Colorado in the summer Joe, Walter and I decided to run a race together not realizing at the time that it would lead to a tradition. Last year I returned to Colorado in June to run the Garden of the Gods race with Joe and Walter and Robert and Gerald joined us. This trip was planned to give us a chance for another "reunion" run. I chose the Slacker races in Georgetown for this year's race. I had done the half marathon in the past and knew that it was a well organized race and the had a four mile race as well that I wanted to run.

Start

The Colorado trip provided two "reunion run" opportunities. Joe and I had already signed up to do the 4th of July 4 mile race at Palmer Lake and the other guys all agreed to sign up and race with us. The biggest challenge with both races for me was the altitude. Georgetown was at 8500 feet and Palmer Lake over 7000. The highlight of both races was spending time and running with friends.

The day after the race in Palmer Lake I left early for the drive home. It was a good trip and I actually stopped one night less than I had planned. My next race, the 5th race and 4th state on this mini journey was the Escalon Town Fete 2 mile in Escalon, California the Saturday after I got home. I decided that this race would be my last race as a 66 year old and my next race would be in August. After my slow times in the previous four races I went to Escalon with no expectations other than to start and finish. When I got there I ran into a running friend Don Harris who is two years younger than me so we are always in the same 60-69 year age group. We talked for a while and he shared that his health hadn't been real good and his goal was to just stay with me and then "outkick" me in the end. I said that's probably how it would happen, "youth will prevail". I've never beaten Don in the three years that we've competed against one another.

He went out just a little ahead of me and I ran what felt comfortable to me. I was soon running right beside him and I noticed that his breathing was even more labored than mine was. Just before the mile turnaround I surged to pass someone in front of us and I realized he didn't go with me. At the turn I tried to steadily pick it up for as long as I could so that I could hold him off if possible and make him work to outkick me. As it turned out I ran only 5 seconds slower to last year and finished 2nd in my age group. Don? He was 3rd almost a minute and a half behind me. I don't share this story to gloat just to show that you can never assume how a race will turn out until it's over. It reminded me of two other times in my life when I was discounted either before or during a race. It's nice to know I can still find some competitive spirit from time to time.

6 Weeks - 5 Races - 4 States = A lot of fun, fellowship, family and memories.