The tortoise still runs

My time for my second race was better than on first, and there was this nasty hill around mile #2! I was so surprised to see that my time was actually better than the previous race as I approached the finish, and I finished feeling strong. Out of breath but strong. A full 90 seconds strong. And there was a hill!

So approaching my third race -- the Swamp Rabbit 5K -- this last weekend, I had full expectations of achieving an even better time. There were even more people at this race, and it felt electric to be a part of a huge group there to traverse the same distance. I positioned myself around the middle of the pack, and after waiting what seemed like forever, the strating gun fired. Once I was able to start running continuously, I established a good pace and didn't worry about all of the yahoos passing me. I knew that I would pass many of them soon enough. And I did. And I felt like I could keep on going, just keep running. I was Forrest Gump. "That boy is a runnin' fool." I was on track to an even better race time.

But eventually I had to slow down for my heart rate. (To understand the problem, see my post on my first race.) I alternated between running and speed walking as I felt the need, and as I approached the finish and saw how much time had elapsed, I was aghast. I was in real danger of having a worse time! I dug down deep and gave it all I had, crossing the finish line with an improved time of just one second.

I understood and yet I didn't understand. I understood that people would be passing out water and bananas to those who had finished the race. But hot dogs? I didn't understand that one. But I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I took my free hot dog, and as I sat down to eat it, I was trying to understand what had happened earlier. How could I feel so good at the start and end poorer than I expected?

Was it my starting position? There were a lot of people there and it took a while to get going. What about the hill in this race? Or did I end up walking a bit too much there at the end? I had purchased some special shorts to help me feel cooler while I ran, and it helped, but I was till sweating like crazy. Did the salt water in my eyes slow me down any? I had to dig really deep to finish as I did, and it seemed to me that I shouldn't have had to do that. It still seems to me that I shouldn't have had to do that. I guess I need to step up the training!

And all this came to me while eating a hot dog! My training was off to a great start.

Then the score sheet was released, and I found a larger race in front of me. I was listed with an even better time than what I remembered achieving. I emailed the distributor and explained my situation. I was in effect saying that I should have been listed as finishing 1035th instead of 1018th. Some people would say that this was not a big deal -- which is what the distributor told me -- but in the race of ethical behavior I wanted to finish with my integrity intact. Whether I finish 1035th or 1018th, out of 1606 total participants, I think that I did pretty good! Yes, I was in the 35th percentile, so my time is nothing to boast about. But how many of those people felt as strong as I did starting out? I was not as fast as a whole lot of other people, it's true. But I am still running the race. And with each race I run I achieve a better and better time. I am progressing. I am improving. And eventually one day my number will be something to boast about, and I will have done it through honest effort. When that day comes, this tortoise will then be a hare! What a day that will be!