Counting Coup

This is my wall of little victories documenting my running over the past 3 years. It's another idea I got from my kid who has outgrown it but I haven't. The column on the left is 2007, middle 2008, and the right 2009. I see it as my modern day way of hanging scalps from a warrior's waist.

What happened in 2008, get lazy or something? If you could get close enough to read the dates on the numbers you see that the 2008 bib was dated Nov. I hurt my back early that year, I mean really screwed something up. It took me nearly 30 seconds to get into and out of my truck. I waited and waited for it to heal itself but that wasn't happening. After months of pills and practically no exercise I thought I could get back on the treadmill but that nearly floored me again. So I waited until November and did the Turkey Trot 5K at the Bangor Submiarine Base. That run was the most miserable run I done to date, 38 degrees and raining. I thought about quiting and walking back but realized it would take me longer to walk that to keep running (I know, absolutely brilliant reasoning) so I finished in a respectable time for me.

That brings the thought of "what is a respectable time" for me; anytime I cross the finish line on my own feet and they haven't taken down the finish line is a wonderful time for me. Remember in an earlier blog when I said I was never fast, that hasn't changed. At many start lines other runners have asked me how long I thought I would take to finish and my standard answer usually makes them look at me a little strange - "Sometime before sunset". That's how I really think, I'm enjoying the running events and really don't care when I finish so I do.

Except for one race.

There's this guy at work who does all the local runs just like me and he looks old and slow but he beats me in every 5K. Last fall I ran the Spooky Trails 12K. It's a trail run over some pretty good hills and through dark, dark, forest. As we were driving there I told Elly about this growing obsession to beat this guy just once, I said today might be the day. As usual, when the race started and through the first 5+K he was ahead but within sight. Then it happended, the distance between us closed and soon I was right behind him, then alongside, then I was in front. The little devil inside my head said 'you better not let this guy go back by you'. He was puffing like a steam engine but couldn't hang with this old timer. We were about 7K into the race so I kept wondering where he was and dreading that he might come zooming by. When I crossed the finish line I stood and waited...for nearly 5 minutes until he crossed the line. Today was the day!

I'm hoping I hang a few more "scalps" on my wall for 2010.