HOT Fun Running

July is a tough month for fun runs. I had to wake up at 5 this morning, a Saturday, to get to a fun run and continue my “fun run a month” challenge (see more HERE). Last month, in June pickings were slim because I had traveled to the UK for two weeks, and I was in Kansas another week. That leaves very few weekends for fun runs. 

This month, there were just two beside the July 4th fun runs. Many of the July 4th fun runs were booked up and I couldn’t get in. So, I signed up for really the only other one I could find. The Lunar 5K in Friendswood. 

Friendswood is a bit of a hike for me. It took about an hour for me to get there. But then again, that’s what I drive every day for work. In fact, my office was right there, a few blocks away. Silly ole world. 

I was surprised by several things about this run. 

• First, I was surprised they started the raceafter the kids 1K. Note to race directors out there. Having your start time for the main race depending on kids running a 1K . . . Not smart. But maybe I’m becoming crotchety. 
• Second, wow was it hot. I was melting in the heat. I weighed myself before I left and when I got back. I lost 4 lbs while running. That’s some heat!
• Speaking of weight, I have lost 30 lbs since last year at this time. I would have expected that at some point I would feel lighter. I don’t. It was killing me on this run.My splits aren’t bad, but man oh man, I think global climate change is effecting gravity cause WOW I was slow and it hurt!
• I was looking around as I ran and was pacing and trying to beat several people. I looked at them and thought, I bet I can beat them. Then naturally I thought about the standings and it hit me, most of the people I key in on are in their 30’s! I think I still see myself as a 30 year old when I go race these races. I’m not! It hit me today that by next year about this time, I’ll find myself in the 50 year old standings! (Maybe then I can win every now and then . . . Probably not)
• I need to start taking and prepping more gear. I had a towel, my flip flops and an extra shirt, but it was so hot that I should have brought several towels and probably some cooling towels as well! Thank goodness I had my emergency picnic blanket in trunk (never know when you’ll need to quickly have a picnic, right!) otherwise it would have been a fiasco. 
• I got blown away in the final sprint today. Some young twenty year old blew by me. I tried to pick it up to keep up with her, but I couldn’t. I felt like Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable, being destroyed on the track. What’s he say? “today I saw 23 on the track, and it flew right by me without even breathing heavy?” Well I saw that today. 
• Finally, I’m starting to see many of the same people at these races. I tried to inspire this years ago with SEAL PT, but now I’m seeing the same people at these runs and we chat to one another. Little things like “Saw you at that last one, how’d ya do?” And “Feeling good today?” It’s probably because I wear pretty much the same stuff every race. But it’s fun to have some race day buddies. Everyone needs race buddies right?