“They were what we (I) thought they were” – Dennis Green

I have run many races and over time I have done a pretty good job of standing on the start line and having a real good idea of who will be contending for the win. Unfortunately, yesterday was no different. I was standing in the pouring rain looking around and two things became perfectly clear to me.

There was not a guy in the field that could beat me.

There were 2 or 3 women who looked like they could.

The race started and a within a hundred yards there were 3 of us out front. My instincts were right on, I was running with two women. Within a half mile the lead women took off and gapped us. A few minutes later number 2 would give chase. I tried to stay calm, run my race and hope they might come back to me. Three miles in I saw my first mile marker and it was 19:30ish. I wondered if it was right. If it was I was running an over 40 10K. It was about here that I started to think of all my regrets:

I regretted not yet starting that 5 pound weight loss plan

I regretted the every other speed work.

I regretted the hill work on Thursday.
I regretted my little ménage a trio this summer with my bike and wetsuit.

I regretted my shoe choice.

I regretted that nice big dinner the night before.

I still had second place in my sight and I tried to close the gap. I had no idea if the time at 3 miles was right but I was not about to run a 10K in 40+. I pushed hard in the pouring rain finally reaching mile 5 in 31.xx and knew now was not the time to slow down. Sadly what had been a very well marked course all along all of a sudden became unmarked. I ran into an intersection saying which way and was told toward the water. This did not help. I slowed and screamed some more and was finally told how to go. I hit the long straight and managed to finish in 39:41. I told the finish people they needed someone out on the last 2 corners and they said the last runner said the same thing.

"They were what we (I) thought they were" – Dennis Green

I was third overall and first male. I did win a $30 gift certificate to the local running store and in my current shape was not going anywhere near a 37:xx that the winner ran. A few minutes later I headed back out to the course to run in my sister who was doing her first every 10K. She did great finishing in a bit over an hour and smiling the whole way in the rain.

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Joe B