Last Friday was my birthday.
As lunchtime approached I got an idea that I might test myself a little… on “my day”
My idea… since I was scheduled to run 5 at lunch why not try to run that under my age. I thought hmmm…. 43… that’s like 8:35s… doable even factoring in the heat… a high mileage week and some tough speedwork the day before.
A few minutes later I had a revelation… with both fabulous and disappointing news. I was turning 42… not 43… someone who knows me well sent me happy 42nd wishes… and they were right….
Ya see… in triathlons they write your age on your calf… not your age at the time but your age as of December 31st… so even tho I’d been getting a 42 tattoo all year… I’d really only been 41… woot! Oh.. uh.. wait?
Now my goal time was 42… like 8:20s much more of a test.
1st mile was hard… from 0 to running a sub 8:30 pace (at my age J) is not easy… I think I hit 8:28 or so… great already behind.
Mile 2 was easier… almost always is… about 8:06 and mile 3 still smooth at around 8:12.
The heat started wearing me down on mile 4… but managed an 8:20…
Fought like hell for the last mile to hang on… all of the precious seconds I’d banked on miles 2 and 3 evaporating way faster than the sweat off my brow…
managed to bring her in coughing, sputtering and smoking (~8:44 mile) and finish with 14 seconds to spare… 41:46
only for this run… and in my childish mind… do I yet remain, under 42.
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