Me and my race buddy toasting to our success with a nice cold bottle of water

Ready, set, RACE.................

The day dawned cold and crisp, not a snowflake in sight (darn it all!). As I waited at the start line, I couldn't help but look around at my competition checking out the amount of gray hair and wrinkles. Comparing theirs to mine I saw several that I placed in a higher age group, and one woman that I figured could go either way so I threw up a quick prayer during the national anthem that she be fifty. She was one of those people that just looked like a runner and I knew she would be kick my butt as well as most of the twenty-year-olds lined up beside the two of us.

I remembered to start my watch as we started out and I kept up with the above mentioned "stud-et" until we turned the corner and I started wheezing to the point that I wished I had a sign that read something along the lines of "NO! I don't smoke!" "Don't worry, I am not as bad off as I sound," or "I'm okay, I don't need the paramedics (but keep them on stand-by for me)." Since I didn't have a sign I opted to slow my pace a tad and focused on running my race and NOT hers.

A few minutes later a guy came up on my left and kept pace with me. This really helped to steady me and get into a good rhythm, and when he was still beside me a minute or so later I told him to stay right there as he was being a great help. Two or three minutes later I introduced myself and he reciprocated. I had myself a running buddy!

We completed mile one in nine minutes and a few seconds. Yes I came out too fast, but nothing to be done about it at that point but keep going, around the curve/loop, back onto the main drag and up a hill. " I LOVE HILLS! Keep thinking this! Dig into the hill, we can rest on the down." My new bud probably thought I was talking to him, but I always talk out loud as I am doing a hill. It makes it more fun and lots easier.

At the bottom of the hill we turned off into a subdivision and began our wind-through. I was thinking mile two was just around the corner (recall from last year must have been a bit fuzzy), and when it wasn't mind wanted to start to complain, but before she could eyes spotted the volunteer with the stop watch just around the next corner and told her to be quiet. Mind listened for a change. How about that?

After we crossed the two mile point my buddy really started to slow down. He told me to go on ahead and I tried to encourage him to keep up the pace by saying, "Come on. Keep going. I know CPR and I promise to stop and use it on you if you need me to." Another ten steps or so and he waved me on and slowed to a walk.

Time out to tell you that when I was chatting with him after the race he shared with me that this race was his first in twenty years and he had told himself he was going to make it through the first two miles and then see what happened. This is a perfect example of how powerful our minds are in everything we do. He reached his goal and not having planned what to do next he kinda fell apart. Keep this in mind the next time you are goal seeking. Set them high and your mind can and will help you achieve them!

Even though I was running this race to race, I could not fully keep myself from interacting with the crowd. As I run by people on the sidelines mouth brings all kinds of attention to us by shouting things like,"I can't hear you! Cheer louder," or "Aren't you proud of me? I am!" With my partner beside me mouth had held the comments to thanking the volunteers for showing up, but left to myself, she couldn't contain herself during the last mile. Maybe this slowed me down a bit, but I know myself well enough to know that if I am not having fun I will not be doing the activity for much longer so the benefits for the long haul completely out-weigh the short term losses.

As I rounded the last corner and saw the finish line up ahead I was passed by two women. One was definitely younger than me so I wished her Godspeed and focused on the other woman. Quite simply, this woman out kicked me, and my thoughts soon became the reality that she placed third (BY A LOUSY THIRTY SECONDS OR SO!) and I came in fourth (out of eight people in my age division). Since only the first three winners received "official awards" I ended up getting HONORABLE MENTION from myself during the awards ceremony. Boy! Did that feel good! My official race time was 30:49, which by the way is a PR (personal record). I like PB better - personal best -, but (my) Mister says they can't use those initials or people will think they are referring to peanut butter so PR it is.

I felt so good after my race that I drove home, got dinner in the slow-cooker, made and served lunch, and then went out and ran another 3.1 miles to celebrate! What a great day!