4 Mile

When I give you all of this great advice, I want you to understand I am living it right along with you.  I am not doing this from my armchair.  In fact this Saturday, I was doing it in a park in North Boulder.  As part of my training plan for a 9 mile obstacle race in June called the Tough Mudder, I have been doing a series of training runs/activities.

Saturday was a 4 mile trail run in January.  The only people who run in January are people who competitive runners in clubs.  There were 131 male gazelles signed up for the race on that cold morning.  Completing the field of 134 runners were Chris, Christopher and myself. 

I killed at that run that morning.  I ran a personal best of 11.10 per mile for all 4 miles.  It is still fresh in my mind today and I cannot keep from smiling.  All of the training is starting to pay off.

For some wider perspective...the order of finish of the training team.
130th place - Christopher with a time of 41:55
131st place - ME!! with a personnel best of 45.11
132nd place - Chris with a time 47:51

I placed 11th (out of a field of 11) in age 50 -54 class.  The winning time in my class was about 23:09.

There was not doubt that I killed at that race.  See it was about me running in the race and pressing beyond what I believed I could do.  I know from hard earned experience that the first steps are the most important and it is all about what you do and not what other people do and have done.  It is about me being in the race and not being a spectator on that cold January morning. 

Nothing will every beat actually being in the race.  The hardest person I will ever race is myself.  And on Saturday, I WON.  I would expect in the following months you will see times start to spiral down as I get better.  I always expect to get better and first steps are always a point of celebration.

So if you are taking any first steps...celebrate that you are in the race.  That is always going to be easier on your heart and soul.  Watching the race will always suck.

Love Dad