40+

The jokes have been flying around lately. Avoidance, has been the plan, but just like dodging the pot holes in Michigan, they can't be avoided forever. Ugh. Denial, is the next plan. What better way to deny getting older then PR'ing my favorite race time? That will surely show the jokers, there is no aging going on here!

Creeeeeeek, goes the gun. Oh, come on, now the starting pistols are cracking jokes too? I want this PR, bad. It's going to be difficult, not just because it's fast, I'll even admit it I'm getting older, but weather isn't going to help at all. The whole week the temps have been creeping up. It's a late start, which only helps the temps increase. By the start, it's already as warm as I'd ever want it. Logic tells me I've got no chance with this PR, but I want it so bad, there's no turning back. I want it and I'm going for it.

Just before the first mile, I pass a guy already covered in sweat and remember thinking "sure glad that's not me already". Mile two passes quickly, so do three and four. At this point, I finally check my watch to gauge if I'm even close to my goal. Right on pace! Considering it's warmer than I want, this is a very good sign. Watch out, age defying in progress!

As quick as that feeling came, it was gone by mile five. All thoughts of chasing that PR evaporated. I'm not even sure what really happened, but the wheels came completely off. Is this really what getting older is? In my race wanting to prove anti-aging, it felt like somebody handed me the walking cane. The whole rest of the race was a struggle. It probably didn't have to be as bad as it was, but it was defeating knowing what I wanted to accomplish, which only made the feeling worse.

There is a lesson here and of course I should have known better. Based on the conditions, never should have started out fast, but in my head, thought it was my best and only chance to get that PR knowing it was only going to get warmer. Ultimately, never had a chance based on the conditions. Had I started out slower, I at least could have ran a much more consistent race. Instead, it goes in the books as one of my worst. There will be other days and I promise to be a resilient old guy!

There is one bright spot today, I'm not talking about the glaring sun that was beating down on us the whole day either. Got to witness and partake in a first, got to share the experience of watching my cousin finish her first half marathon! She's had to train completely on her own, she doesn't have anything even close to the runner support in my area. That alone, she deserves tons of credit. To make matters worse, she suffered a stress fracture about four weeks before this race. It would have been easy to throw in the towel at that point, but she was determined to finish. Have to be honest, I questioned her determination vs doing the smart, safe, thing, but I've seen this before. You know, that runner's thick headedness. Hmm, is she related to me, or CT?

She's does have a few things to learn, like showing up to the race on time, wearing black on a sunny day, are a couple. We can work on those. I'm proud of her for knowing one of the most important rules though, asking the doctor if it's a good idea to run with a stress fracture, the day after the race!

After I finished, I turned around and went back to fine her. Found her powering up the second to last hill, smiling at some crazy woman who was red in the face yelling encouragement to the runners (if it were up to me, I'd track that woman down and give her a medal). Not sure if she knew it or not, but it was a done deal at this point she was finishing. The fact I found her where I did, she was still moving, believe it or not she looked way better at this point than I did, zero doubt she was crossing that line.

The final mile, took our selfie, caught up with how the race went for her. Highlights included, a big hug from CT (perfect timing for the marathoners coming back and the half marathoners turning around), CT planting the seed of a cold beer after the race, six miles of her thinking about that beer, at some point her willing to trade her finisher medal for a beer to two guys in a truck watching the runners drinking beers, and her texting her husband wanting food and him not able to find her.

My cousin, half marathon number one in the books! Post race, I couldn't resist and had to ask seconds after crossing the line if she was ready to sign up for another one, a quick and resounding "no" came back. What you don't realize, this cousin relentlessly tortured me growing up! Didn't have the heart to torment her with getting her to commit to another so soon, but I liked the thought of it, plus I KNEW what would happen next, because ALL runners do it. Yup, twenty four hours later, she was already thinking about the next one, just like I expected!

I may be 40+ now, but this time the plus means add another runner to the club.