Alpha and the Omega

Last week I did nothing. No, really. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. And then I had a 10K to run on Saturday.

At 5800 feet elevation.

It was a tad bit challenging to say the least. I went home to visit my parents at it was Riverfest weekend and they have a 5K and 10K and 2 mile walk. The whole family went out to have fun. I ran with my friends husband. Being the nice guy that he is he ran with me the whole time and never complained when I walked. We came in dead last. In my defense there were only about 25 people running the 10K. I do better with numbers. I can be very average in a group of 2000 people. 35,000 - whoa, I might even break into the < 50% population. But with 25, I fall into the bottom 1%. But that's ok. It was fun, and now I never have to worry about what it's like to be last again. Not that bad. And for the altitude difference I only added about 3 minutes onto my time.

Imagine my surprise then when little old me of all people WON 1st place int the 20-29 year old division!!! Clearly I was the only one in that division if I came in last and got first. My dad goes "You're the alpha and the omega, honey!" I sure am. And when else am I EVER going to take home 1st place, let alone any medal for running? If there is serious competition that is. I laughed really hard getting the medal, but now I just think - who cares. It was really fun!

And now I have this renewed spirit for running and Triathlon training. I can run 1 mile faster. I can run a 10K in 1:04, I can beat my 10 mile time AND I can finish this triathlon! Once again I am excited to try. I really needed that you know. I was actually disappointed with my 10K time on Saturday which lasted only for that day, after that I realized I had fun and I can do better. So now I'm focused on the future. Not weather, not my schedule, not a speeding bullet can stop me now.

I realized too that I don't blog much when things are going bad. I had been feeling so 'bleck' for the past 3 weeks or so. Running and health weren't energizing me. So thanks God for that bad run and the 1st place medal which I shall cherish forever and put next to my Accounting plaque from high school in which I filled in the bubbles in 5 minutes and as a fluke took home 2nd place and by my regional science fair award where I competed against 2 others and got 1st place. (In my defense I did go on to state where the fair was more competitive and I got 3rd.)

I guess I got something left in me for one more summer of running.