10/3/2021 0 Comments My First Five-Mile RaceA few months ago, in June, I gave myself a gift and a challenge. I signed up to run a five-mile race scheduled for September. I did have some preparation because starting four years ago, in 2017 when I turned 70, I had completed eight races – 4 sprint triathlons, each includes a 5K (3.1 miles) as well as swimming and biking, plus four additional 5K races. I started my training with joyful runs on the beach, and runs in the local woods with my dog Molly, an eager and energetic 8-year-old lab – pit mix. This was her chance to be the “only” dog with “dad” (me). We have three other dogs so they are almost always part of a pack. Soon after, I discovered an additional five-mile race sponsored by a different non-profit occurring in August. I thought it would be excellent to do two five milers. Why not! I particularly liked the set-up of both of these races because they offered the option to run either a five-mile or a ten-mile race. For the ten-mile, you simply run the five-mile course twice. For many runners, the five-mile option is rather short and they prefer running ten. I figured that a good ten-mile runner would finish before me. I run quite slowly and am always towards the back of the pack. The August Race The race course was on beautiful horse trails located just five minutes from my house. All the races I have attended, including this one, are happy affairs. When I arrived, about 100 people were already stretching out and greeting each other in a large field, the staging area for the race. Many people looked like “real runners” meaning thin, wiry and focused. Some had matching tee shirts from their running clubs. I assumed these groups were going to do the ten-mile race. My goal was that I was fast enough at the five-mile race so that the ten10-mile runners would not have to wait too long for me to finish. At the registration table, the woman signing me up looked closely at me and asked “Don’t I know you? Aren’t you the dog massage guy? My daughter and I brought our dog to your barn for one of your courses a few years ago. Our dog fell in love with another dog and it was a memorable night for all of us.” We reminisced a bit and then, by association, I heard in the back of my mind Paul Simon’s wonderful song from his Graceland album, (“Don’t I know you from the cinematographer’s party, who am I to blow against the wind”) that I had first heard about 35 years ago. A warm, happy energy flowed through me as I realized that I was in Graceland. I picked out my race shirt, pinned my number to it and “bounced” over to the starting line. The lively woman organizing the race called us all together, welcomed us and said that the trails were wet, slippery, and hilly – “just the way we like it!”. Everyone cheered including me. She blew a whistle and the race began. My plan was to run / walk slowly, even slower than usual, so I would have enough energy for the full five miles. In short order, I was in the final group climbing the first hill, and soon after, the final group had disappeared in front of me. I was on my own, running in joyful solitude, as has happened in almost all the races I have run. I measured my time so that I would be running around 15-minute miles, just a bit slower than I usually run. I wanted to have enough energy for the extra miles. After 45 minutes, I was feeling confident that I would easily finish the race by my mix of running and walking. I was planning to increase my pace a bit when a runner passed me (he was doing the ten-mile) and said – “You are almost there – just around the corner.” I took this as a kindness and not as a fact since everyone is highly encouraging. But indeed, when I turned the corner, the race was over and the final clock read 49 minutes. Oh, my gosh, how is this possible? How could I have finished so quickly? And so, without further reflection, I accepted the happy result that I had actually averaged five 10-minute miles, even knowing that I had never run even one 10-minute mile in my entire existence on earth. I jauntily congratulated myself on this excellent result. “Good job Dave!” Later that night, I was a bit tired and calm, but I still could not believe that I ran five miles in 49 minutes. I decided to check the invitation to see what I could figure out. And there it was - clearly stated – It was NOT a 5 and 10 mile but it was a 5 and 10 kilometer race. I told Catherine and we both really laughed. My illusion was fun while it lasted. A few days later, I received the link to all the times for all the runners in the race. I discovered there was a category called men 70+. And there I saw my name for five kilometers as #1. OK, there were only 2 people in that category and the other person was 1 year older and 9 minutes slower. Go Dave! The September (actual) 5-mile race A month later, I went to the actual (I double checked) five-mile race also located very close to my house but on different trails. I met a couple, about 60 years old, who were “real runners”. We hit it off so I asked them how it is possible to run and not get out of breath. They told me a “secret”, RUN SLOWLY. You’ll find you get there just as quickly and far more enjoyably. It had rained a lot during the week so the trials were seriously wet and muddy including a number of ponds at the bottom of the hills. Running slowly through puddles is a joy of childhood and most of the runners willingly splashed through them. It was a beautiful morning and five miles at 15 minutes a mile really gave me sufficient time to settle in and enjoy the experience. Only a few of the ten-mile runners passed me, and when I finished, to my surprise, there were still 6 people running the five-mile course behind me. I am already looking forward to another race before the year ends.
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David FeldmanDog walker, Dog Mediator, Father, Husband, Categories |