Well.. I have been shamed into entering my story about what a couple of us are calling the Clanton, Fuzzy Peach Butt 10k. So I write...
This summer has been pretty hot, but I don't guess any different than the past few years. It just seems to be hotter sooner. But even so the race must go on.
I have become acquainted with a couple of fellow Alabama runners by way of a podcast, a blogspot and tweeter. And as a way to meet in person we all decided to meet in Clanton for a 10k beatdown/showdown.
The two other parties in the meeting of the bama boys are Gordon of runtodisney.com fame, and Mark of bamarunner.blogspot.com. Both of these gentlemen are true lovers of this fanatic habit of running. You can catch both of their links from this blogspot homepage.. I will let them tell there own story. Both are well worth following.
OK.. back to the race... as I state in my previous blogs I am not really in racing shape, but I really wanted to meet with Mark and Gordon. So off to Clanton I went. In addition, James, my Saturday long run partner also come to run the streets. James had a bad week with his back but decided like a lot of us that the entry was paid so might as well run and see what happens. Well.. he won his age class.. we think he was sandbagging! haha!
The morning of the race was hot and humid and you just have to deal with it cause you can't control it.. but man, it can sure make you suffer. Mark and Gordon arrived at the race site in time for us all to ride over the course. We did that and within a few minutes it was race time. I would say there were about 50 runners that included 5 and 10K racers.
The starter gave some instructions that only those on the first row could here and then we were off. The first mile is mostly down a long gradual grade. It gave a false feeling that you could run this pace the whole way. However, the third mile was back up most of that same grade... Things were going alright until about the 3.5 mark then the heat just overcame my ability to keep up the pace. From that point of I just started a run/walk knowing that it would be better for me rather than suffer.
I finished with a time under 48 min and with the knowledge that I have run the same course in less than 42 min... oh well, I'm not down on myself because I know that this year holds in it the potential formy best training and my fastest race times since I got back into running. I'm really not proud of the race, but am SO glad I went and met these two super individuals. It made it all worthwhile.
Hopefully everytime you lace up your shoes.. everytime you run you appointed training run.... you realize that you are truely blessed to be able to take part in this activity of life and you will respect the act of running.
Thanks for that post. I was really encouraged by it!
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