Sopping Wet but Twice as Fast

It was in the mid-50s and pouring rain when I left Broadway this morning at 8ish for a 5K/10K fundraiser race/walk for breast cancer research. Couldn't help but think of Mom who had breast cancer, and died of lung cancer; and of a runner and politician whose wife lives just up the road a bit and had her third breast cancer surgery this week.

Getting out of the "chute" was a bit tough -- awful crowded, but I've learned to just go with the flow and not fight that too much. There's always a chance to make up the time later, and it prevents starting too fast. Just before mile two, though, my left shoe came untied. I had forgotten to change into my racing shoes, and thus forgot to knot the bows and tuck the ends under the strings. So I lost a minute or two there. Soon I saw my friend Laura who was running her first 10K.

By now puddles swallowed up about half of a lane on the roads. Fallen, wet leaves and pine needles threatened to snatch my legs out from under me. Uphill the going was just a tad slippery. And I'm finding it a bit difficult to know how to dress these days. Today I opted for tights as my legs get cold when it's this cold; tights less irritating than looser pants. I also chose a short-sleeved tee shirt, as the long sleeved I wore last weekend was just a bit too much. By the time I crossed the 10K finish line I was cold and my hands were too numb to pull the tab off my race number. So I think the tee shirt was okay, but gloves would have been nice. The sopping wet sleeves of a long-sleeved tee would have felt like a straight jacket. Maybe one of my long sleeved technical tops would have made sense.

For two of the last three miles I ran solo. . .I've gotten used to that. Then about half a mile from the finish, I ran into the walkers who were finishing up the 5K. They walked six or more across, many times oblivious to the runners trying to get around them. So I'd holler, "On your left" and head for the gutter alongside the road. The first two groups completely ignored me. In one instance I nearly shoved my way through because nobody would let me by. Perhaps they were lost in conversation or something; but that sure was rude. I've learned to be a bit aggressive in such situations though. . .and just push my way through anyway.

When I'd shout, "On your left," for the last few groups, they made room. And they hollered and cheered me along -- as I did them. They may have been walkers, but they sure had the running spirit. And I felt empowered -- I was doing 10K faster than it took them to run 5. Usually I'm running my races at half the speed of those in the front, and I'll cheer those front runners for all I'm worth when I see them coming my way, having passed the turn-around long before me. Now I know how they must feel!

I crossed the finish line in 57:51, and kept on running -- to the car where I had warm clothes waiting. I called AM on the way home, thinking she might be heading in to Broadway and thus able to turn the heat on in my apartment for me. When I told her I was cold, and before I had a chance to ask for a favor, she said, "Well, WE have a warm shower AND a fireplace. How about if you just come over here?"

So I took advantage of a hot shower there, and then drank hot chocolate with two toasty warm little girls sitting on my lap. I was warm again in a hurry. . .