For years since my college days of competitive running, I've slowed down pretty steadily and run mostly for fun. I've entered lots of races, setting time goals, and generally finishing in the top 10-20% of the field in most of the races I enter. That might sound good, but in a race with 10,000 runners, that might mean I finish about in about 1,700th place for instance. In other words, my times aren't exactly going to set the world on fire, but it's really only about reaching my own goals anyway right? Until last year's Jim Gibbons 5k that is.
The Gibbons race is special to me for a lot of reasons. First off, it's sponsored by ABC-7, but it also honors the reporter whose tragic death created the opening at channel 7 that I ultimately filled. Everyone who knew Jim recalls a wonderful gentleman and journalist. So I've tried to run the race most every year since I've been here. And my time at channel 7 coincides with the number of races the Leukemia Research Foundation has put on. This was the 15th anniversary.
It's also a 5k, which, despite my focus on running marathons for the last several years, is really a distance I am better suited for. Or at least I used to be. My best time in the race was a few years ago when I ran about 19 minutes. That's quite a bit slower than my college days, but quite a bit faster than I've been able to run lately. Nevertheless, last year, after running just under 21minutes, a time I was disappointed with, I learned I had finished 3rd in my age group. It was a distant third but it was still good for a medal!
Now I hadn't gotten medals or placed in my age group really since high school and college. I run for fun. But since that surprise finish last year, I secretly promised myself I would aim to finish high in my age group again this year. And I even entered an older age group this year, 45-49.
Even without focusing or thinking much about the race in recent days, I knew I wanted to give it a good effort. I'm usually pretty low key before races. I don't really worry about getting there early or warming up too much. But before this race, I was kind of keyed up. I didn't really joke around too much before hand, and actually did go through a bit of a warm-up routine.
When the gun went off, I concentrated on going out at a steady, quick pace. I really didn't know what time I was capable of, but I wanted to run as fast as I could and still feel comfortable. Since I forgot my running watch at home, I really could only judge by how I felt, rather than time. I hit the first mile marker in about 6:35, which I thought was about where I wanted to be. Then I concentrated on trying to hold that pace. The second mile marker read about 13:06, which also felt good. I thought it was a pace that I could hold to the end, but if I could pick it up a bit in the last mile, I had a chance to break 20 minutes.
That didn't happen, but I did take notice of anyone ahead of me who seemed to have a lot of gray hair, thinking they might be in my age group! I passed a couple of people who fit that description. I crossed the line in 20:21. It was more than 30 seconds faster than last year, and felt like a good effort.
Normally I don't pay too much attention to the awards when they announce the winners after races. I'm always curious to hear what times the winners ran, and whether I know them. But, in this case, I was really interested. Unfortunately, I had to leave before my colleague Frank Mathie made those announcements on the stage. So I had to wait until the results were posted online before I could find out whether I passed enough old guys like me to get another medal.
It turns out I snuck into another 3rd place age group award, well behind 1st and 2nd places, but still good for a medal! It is really pretty funny that my focus changed so much over such a trivial matter as getting a medal that will probably sit in the bottom of a drawer somewhere. I am certainly an experienced enough runner to know that placing in a race like that really just depends on what faster runners my age sign up for that particular race. In the overall results, I finished in 41st place. But, hey, I don't get many chances at stuff like that. so I'll take it anyway!
Meantime, I also had the chance to talk to a real world class runner the other day. Deena Kastor, when healthy, is the best American woman marathon runner. She was in Chicago to announce her plans to run the Bank of American Chicago marathon in the fall. It will be her first marathon since suffering a broken bone in her foot during the marathon at the Beijing Olympics. Take a look at the interview here:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=6870798
I'll see you on the roads....
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