Rockstar

I've been laying low on races. 

Until this last weekend, it had been two month since my last. And I didn't even post about that one. 

After my July 4th 5-miler, my running just went to shit. Not that I didn't keep up the same five days per week runs, but everything was off. I attributed it to high heat, high humidity and poor air quality. Clevebugh was hit hard from Canadian wild fires. 

My times weren't horrid - but not great. It was my breathing and inability to run for miles without stopping that seemed to be the problem. 

I found myself walking more than I wanted it, though usually only for 10 seconds or so. At some point, I believe, it morphed from physical to mental, which then manifested back to physical issues. 

Months ago, I signed up for a number of races, the first one being this last Saturday. A half marathon. 

I was scheduled to run this a year ago when I got that stress fracture in my hip. So I was psyched to do it in 2025 hoping it would be my first sub-two hour half marathon. 

It wasn't. 

The time achieved was fine and in the ballpark of the two earlier this year, but slightly higher. I knew by mile 9 I wasn't getting any PR. That kind of fucked me up mentally. 

It all started poorly in a way. The race was point to point, so you had to take shuttle buses to and from the start and end. I did not love being on a bus for 30 minutes at 06:30 while some super hyper 20-something woman would. not. shut. her. pie. hole.  And laughing at everything she said - in the middle and end of it. Prob the beginning to. I just wanted to shout "SHUT UP!!!!!".   Normally I don't have an additional 30 minutes to overthink my upcoming race, so that wasn't great either. Nor the far far far too few port-a-potties. I opted to 'hold it". It was that or miss the start of the race. 

That said, the Old Man's Running Group was manning the water station at Mile 10. 

Talk about an ego boost.  

I'm running near a group of folks I don't know - and don't know me. But as we approach the water area, the dozen or so people distributing water just start yelling out my name and giving heaps of encouragement.  Felt like a total rock star. 

I'm sure those around are going, "Who the fuck is he??"

Yeah, I went out WAY too hard. Morty said I was "ambitious".  He meant "stupid". I speak fluent Morty. I like knowing I can run sub 9 minute miles for 4-5 miles in a row, and down the road that might help me, but not during a race where I can't sustain that type of pace. 

I suppose part of competition with yourself is maybe never truly being satisfied. It used to be I was happy just to finish, but that isn't the case anymore. I'm pretty sure I can finish now. 

Still somewhere in that run my inner voice said, "what makes you think you can run a full marathon??"

I had better come up with an answer considering I have one in seven weeks. 

Song by: Nickelback