1. Compete in a race with the goal of placing, not just finishing.
You probably don't know where I am going with this.....I am not going to complain about the usual.....gray hair, wrinkle, gravity, you know the drill. Instead, let me set you up for this post by telling you about a 5k I did last summer with my dad and my daughter.
Last summer my daughter decided that she would really like going to do races with me. I think she was just overly impressed by the bags of "stuff" you get at the end. Almost every one of them has a coupon for a free ice dream cone at Chick Fil A in it, and what ten year old can resist that? Since she plays soccer for two hours at a time I figured she could handle the run. We found a small, local race, and signed up for it: me, my dad, and my daughter.
Now, I should back up and mention, I have been doing races with my dad on and off since I was about 12 (the dreaded Roswell Youth Day Parade where I got horrible cramps and ended up riding to the end in the police car at the back of the race.) This process has come full circle- from my dad slowing his pace to run with me when I was younger, ours pretty much matching when I became an adult, and recently since he has hit retirement age, I slow my pace down to run with him. Adding the daughter to the mix should work out just fine.
We show up for the race, and start scoping out how many people may be in each of our age groups. We see a couple that may be in the 10 and under girls, a couple that may be in the 65+ men, and I swear to you, every other person at the race is MY age. And I might add, they are not your typical "Oh, I have never done a 5k before, and my goal is just to finish." No, the women my age all look like they just completed the Boston Marathon, and may be able to run a 4 minute mile.
We get started and all three of us kept the same pace for the first mile. It was a little slower than I normally run, dad was a little faster than normal, and the kid just kept up. We made a left turn, and saw the hills up ahead, and the complaining began. "Can we walk now?" "This hill is TOO big." "You are running too fast." "Don't leave me!" For the next half a mile I teetered between being encouraging ("You can do it!") to really annoyed ("Why did you want to come if you didn't want to do this????") I walked up the hill with her, and cringed every time someone in WalMart sneakers or jean shorts passed us.
We got to the top of the hill and I started to jog down. Again the whining. Again I got totally frustrated. Feeling my frustration, my dad told me, "Run ahead. I will stay with her." And I took off.
For the last mile I spent the time trying to catch up with and pass every person that I thought was in my age group. I caught about 3 in the last 100 yards, and I was feeling pretty good about myself. Even with the walking up that hill with my daughter I came in right at 30 minutes, and I waited for them at the end.
And I waited.....
And I waited....
And I waited....
And about 8 minutes later I saw them turn the corner towards the finish, and I got to cheer them across the line.
Now, I don't usually stay for the awards ceremony at races. There is not really any reason to, since I run at a good pace for me, but not an award winning pace. I am not usually in a race to win it, and I just feel good getting my tshirt, my swag bag, and heading home knowing that I am done with my daily workout before 10.
However, while I was waiting for them to come around the corner, I glanced at the awards sheet. Before my daughter came in, there was only one girl listed on the score sheet in her age group. I decided we should stay around and wait to see if she placed in the race.
During the award ceremony I learned an interesting fact- a 66 year old man and a 9 both run at the same pace. And interestingly enough, that pace is good enough for 2nd place in BOTH age groups!!! They both got their 2nd place medals, and all of the whining and complaining was forgotten. I was so proud of them, until I realized something.
I finished the race EIGHT MINUTES before either of them. And guess what? I was no where NEAR placing in my age group! Fair? I think not! I am in the "I am done having kids, I am going to reclaim my body and prove what a badass I really am" age group. (And you know who you are.....I have several friends like this, and I wish I had the dedication some of them do!!!)
So....the tough part about being my age is that it is a very competitive race age. If I want to place I am going to have to work way harder than a 9 year old or a 66 year old to do it. I am not going to "accidentally" get a medal for finishing fast, it will have to be an effort.
So, this Memorial Day my dad and I did the same race. (We didn't bring the whiny child with us since it was her first day out of school and she wanted to sleep late.) We did the same pre-race assessment, and tried to figure out what it would take to place. I asked my dad if he minded if I ran ahead, and he told me to go ahead. I ran a great pace for me, and surprisingly enough, finished in my own PR (personal record). I waited for my dad to finish (about 6 minutes after me) and then we stuck around for the awards ceremony to see where he placed. And guess what.........when they got to the 35-39 year old Female awards, I came in 3rd place!!! I got my medal and my picture taken. I was so proud of myself.
And then a few minutes later, Dad got 2nd in his age group. And he STILL finished 6 minutes after me :)`
