I'm A Runner!

One of the passions I have discovered since retirement is that of running. So far this year we have run in three races. We started with the Peachtree 10K Road Race in Atlanta on the 4th of July. We have run that for many years, but this year was different. I found myself running and not stopping to walk. I walked through the water stops due to the hot weather, but I did not feel the exhaustion as I have before.

When Darrell heard about a small race in a nearby city to be held in September, we decided to try it. It was just a 5K, but still a challenge for us. We usually quit running in the summer after the Peachtree. This year we kept up our training.  Usually that meant running on the weekends and doing elliptical work during the week.  We did the Hog Jog 5K and I ended up getting second in my age group of women and 4th in the 40+ group.

Next came the Fort 4 Fitness Health Fair in Fort Wayne. It is a group of three different distances.  We decided to do the 4-miler. It was a great race and I found out I placed 4th out of 71 women in my age group.

This week we decided to try for another local race, another 5K.  It is to be held on a Saturday in November and I am already adding miles to my training during the week. This last Saturday we were ready for a 4-mile training run in the neighborhoods around us. We warmed up with a walk and then took off for the run. When we got just a few yards from our house, it began to sprinkle. It looked like it might start raining, so we came home. We watched the weather forecast. We paced around the house. Finally, we thought we had a window big enough to get the run in and we took off.  We were fine for about two miles and then it hit.  It rained harder than I ever remember. We were soaked, but we kept running. Cars went by with people looking at us like we were crazy.  We made it home and felt good to know we did it!

Yes, we are runners!