I got to the race a 7:00 a.m. and picked up my packet. Then I did a .5 mile warmup. This warmup was my first time to run since the half marathon three weeks ago. I have arthritis in my knees and haven't been able to train because of it. I wanted to finish this series so I taped my knees up and planned on running slow. Enough about me, let's talk about the race. It was raining before the race started. About five minutes before the start it turned to snow mixed with rain. It rained and snowed on and off for about the first half of the race. The second half of the race was dry, but we were soaked. My first mile was 9:40. After that I decided to not pay attention to my splits becuase it would just be depressing. The aid station at mile 3 (same aid for mile 15 on the way back) had a sign on it that said Tiki Bar. All the volenteers were decked out in tropical attire. There were even some inflatable palm trees. It was fun. At mile 12 my gps gave a low battery warning. It lasted until the finish, but I wasn't really using it today. By mile 14 my legs started to feel the fatigue of not training. By mile 16 I had to really push to keep going. I finished the race at 3:22, which would be a good time for a marathon. My goal today was to just finish and complete the series. I did that, and I stayed injury free. The contest lasts for moments
though the training's taken years.
It wasn't the winning alone
that was worth the work and tears.
The applause will be forgotten,
the prize misplaced.
But the long, hard hours of practice
will never be a waste!
For in trying to win you build a skill;
you learn that winning depends on will.
You never grow by how much you win,
you only grow by how much you put in.
So in any new challenge you've just begun,
put forth your best and you've already won! W. A. Clennan | 