My year of running continues...the summer months took the -cation out of racecation. Many of the best long distance races actually don't happen in these hot summer months for obvious reasons. The few that do were already sold out. So, my summer races were small local runs.
June was the Hometown 10k. I ran this one in Suwanee, GA. As a pretty small race, there was no expo. I just showed up and got my race bib and shirt that morning. There was no new city to explore. I had been on the course, a local greenway, numerous times. So there really were no surprises. (Honestly, the most memorable part of this race was the extremely long bathroom line I stood in. I actually started the race only a couple of minutes before the starting line closed!
So this was all about the running. And to be honest, the first three miles of this race were the fastest miles I've done so far in this process. On an out-and-back course, the first half was a bit more downhill. When I turned around at the 3.1 mile mark, I slowed down but not that much. I also managed to get second in my age group at this one, which made me happy.
My July race, the Firecracker 8-miler, was very similar (but even smaller - so no bathroom lines!). It was local, on a familiar course. The weather was overcast. Again, I felt pretty solid even though it was fairly hot. In this race, I had the distinct pleasure of finishing DFL. (Dead F-ing Last). This was a double out-and-back course, and many participants ran the four mile distance. I knew for sure I was last by a number of minutes. But the finish line was still open. People were there to cheer me in. I finished as well as I could. And I smiled when the race worker handed me the "first in age group" medal for the race. Yes, you read that right. I was both absolutely last and first in my age group. I was the only one my age stupid / silly / brave enough to do it!
Third in this summer series was the Summer Sizzler. Another local race, this time 15k. A triple out and back. This course was very hilly. I was thankful to have two friends running this event, too. Even if we didn't run side by side, it meant something to know they were there and I looked forward to seeing familiar faces each time we passed back and forth. Another age group win! I also had someone ask me if I had done Hot Chocolate in February. They must have remembered my skirt. She said she paced off me then.
Also, at this race, shortly after I began my second of three times taking on this course, a younger girl stopped me and asked me how long I was racing. I told her 15k and she smiled. She was probably 5 minutes behind me after 3 miles. She seemed reassured that someone else was going long distance at a slower pace. I know that feeling and I was so glad she asked me. I knew to give her extra cheers when we passed on our laps. The last time I saw her, she was quite a bit further back than I thought she would be...her pace had fallen off. I slowed down to talk to her (slower than slow)...told her to keep going. And she said "I almost gave up. But because of you, I didn't give up." We were able to cheer her in to the finish. What an accomplishment. I was so proud of her and touched that she knew I was waiting for her! Keep going. You never know who you are inspiring.
In the mean time, we are just putting in time 3-4 days a week on our legs. I am leaning on my tribe even if we don't meet up in person. These truly are the dog days of summer, grueling and relentless. Running as early in the morning as we can manage. Intervals for hours on end, just trying to keep moving. We are in the thick of it, just in time to hit the road again for a pretty exciting set of races, heading toward the end of the year.
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