Finishing versus Not Finishing

This weekend I ran my very first 1/2 marathon. That's 13.1 miles. Exactly half of what I'll be running in April. I ran in the Annual Tom King Gupton Dodge Classic. It was totally cool. I was a little antsy, being my first longer distance race. I had run the distance, and more, before, but not with 1500 other people. It took me 2:19 (that's 2 hours and 19 minutes), finishing about in the middle of the pack... 800 and something I think it was. Which considering I've only been a runner, technically, since November, I'm dang proud of myself. With that kind of time on my hands, it's hard to not let your mind wander (which is good, it blocks out the pain). Here are a couple of things I pondered...

For those of you who know me at all, I'm what some might classify as competitive. I have a mild obsession with being first and being the best. In ways it's a good thing, it other ways it's just plain annoying. I mean, I can remember racing Garrett to the front seat of the car. Racing to see who could be out the door first, up the stairs first... Any time I felt a mild sense of competition, I got that knot in my stomach... weird I know. But, seeing people finish this 1/2 marathon in half the time it took me, made me ponder to my next topic...

If I had to say, the one thing this whole training experience has taught me... second place isn't always the first loser and despite what Ricky Bobby says, "if you're not first you're last." The only person that will beat me, is myself. I realized that there is no way in hell I'll ever WIN a marathon, a 1/2 marathon or even a 5K. I may run in 100 of them, but the chances of me taking home the loot are slim. The odd thing, it doesn't bother me at. I'm fine with it. The simple fact of beating my own personal best record is the most important to me. It makes me wonder why I hadn't gotten into this long distance racing a long time ago...

I might, however, beat the Olympic gold medalist at putting on their shoes:)

Until next time...