Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Last One In Tonight at 13:02 pace

First, let me say that I am SO tired of being injured!!!!

Tonight's run for the 5k/10K group was:
  • Run a mile nonstop
  • rest 60 seconds
  • Run a lap - rest 60 seconds (repeat this part 4 times)
I ran sloooowww tonight pampering my knee. There was twinges and tingles but I kept it under control and it was frustrating to do so. I just want to heal quickly and if that means being a snail until then, then so be it.

Meanwhile, speedster runners were lapping me like crazy. At one point I was in the 2nd lane and letting the fast ones pass on the inside so they wouldn't have to pass around me. A female runner yelled loudly "TRACK!" as she passed on my right. As soon as I came in to my 60 second rest I asked others what I did wrong. "Nothing" and one coach apologized that happened to me. When I got home I read the Track Ettiquette guidelines we were give HERE and saw that I wasn't breaking ANY of the first four rules that would warrant being yelled "TRACK!" at. I wasn't walking. My pace was slow (between 12 and 13) but I was NOT walking.  Still, how humiliating it was having a seasoned fast and fit runner calling you out when you are doing your best and thinking you were helping, not hindering.

As I came in to my last 400 lap, I noticed there was no one else behind me or running on the track. I was the last one? REALLY?? Then  I noticed that I couldn't find 4 of the other women in my group cooling down OR stretching any where. Did they already leave the track? I noticed one of the two men I had been watching was gone too. Then it really sunk in - I was THE LAST ONE IN with my snail pace average of 13:02.  I don't get it. We have people in the 14:00 + pace groups on the weekend. I saw a lot of my group walking at one point or another (I never did) and I remember lapping two or three of them (but didn't notice them lapping me after the first turn of the first lap); but they were done before me?  I have NEVER come in last in anything before. Even though I am injured, and even though this is not a race, it still struck me very hard.


Then I remembered......I may have been the last one coming in tonight....
but I lapped every single person that was home sitting on the couch.

2 comments:

  1. Leia, stop thinking of everyone else. This running thing isn't for them or about them. It's alllllll about YOU. You're doing this for YOU. It's time to put your blinders on, or you will drive yourself crazy. Trust me on this one! One of these days, we will get together for a run here in The Couve! We must. We can kick the people who pass us. Or throw rocks at them. Either works for me. :)

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    Replies
    1. ROLFOL!!! Will do, Heather. Will do. :D

      And you are right about me doing it for me. I love how it makes ME feel so much stronger, and that feeling I get when out there running my favorite route. This 'group' thing is all new to me so I will work at keeping the focus on myself. Thanks.

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