I raced a 10K on Saturday morning. 51:41 – 8:19 pace. I still can’t believe it really happened. It was hot and sunny and a lot of running on exposed sun-baked pavement – but it was not half as bad as it was the week approaching the race and not at all bad as it is right now. I think it’s almost 100 degrees outside now.
I fully intended to take a sweaty selfie to put on the blog, but right after I finished the race, my phone was able to send a quick text, a quick email and then it promptly died. I think all the water I spilled on myself during the water stops made it to my phone and shorted it out. So all you get it is an at-home post-race photo with the shoes that I ran in and Maxi who is looking at me and wondering why I don’t take her running anymore (Because it’s crazy hot and humid and I barely make it through my runs and I actually sweat whereas you, my doggie friend, can only pant. It’s inefficient and you will keel over.)
I was doing well until mile 4 and then it became very difficult and then I realized, my God, I have to keep this up for another 2 miles. No wait! It’s actually more like 2 and a quarter miles! Argh!! It’s like another 20 minutes – how the hell am I going to do this for another 20 minutes!?! But I did and it was over and I was very happy. I woke up Sunday completely sore all over, even my intercostal muscles were sore (those are the muscles that run between your ribs to expand the rib cage so you can breathe).
Mom is worried that I might be training too hard – my knees in particular. Mom, there were 799 people who ran the race faster than me. I was the 800th runner to cross the finish line. There are at least 799 people who are running faster than me who still can use their knees.
With the end of this race, I feel like I’m truly on a break now. There’s no running for a few weeks so I can rest this old body of mine. My quarter at work closed the day before the race, school for the kids ended at the same time. I’m not doing my own school. Jeremy’s home and his big work obligations are easing up (kind of). That means I’m left only with what I consider my core responsibilities of work, family and the house. Somehow I can insert back in 20 hours a week of “found time” and then everything expands to fill the time; these things always do.
Too much everything isn't good for health. I believe, too much running is bad for ankles and knees, especially when getting old. Arthritis will show up in early age.
All these athletes in contact sports, most of them, have bad health later in their lives 🙂