It has been said that runners have their best thoughts of the day while out running. Runner and writer
Michael Selman shares his
"Thoughts on Running" with us here at ontherunevents.com.
Several years ago, Paul and I met after a tough 5K race, when I edged
him out at the finish, after exchanging leads with him throughout the
race. We could have gone straight to the refreshment table without a word,
but instead we introduced ourselves to each other, and became friends.
Over the next year or so, we battled intensely at the 5K and 10K distance,
alternating wins, and becoming faster runners and closer friends as a
result.
Then, competitively, we went in different directions. While I struggled
with a string of injuries, and came close to becoming a non-runner, Paul
started an amazing string of marathons, running one in 28 consecutive
months. That string included a 50K, and a 50 mile run.
Eventually, I healed, and Paul's string of marathons voluntarily ended.
Though the friendship remained strong, the racing rivalry never quite
picked back up. He became an active grandfather, so other priorities
replaced racing. Yesterday was his first marathon in about 1 1/2 years,
perhaps inspired in part by the fact that I had run 2 near the end of last
year.
So yesterday morning, I set my alarm for 4:30AM, got to Paul's house by
about 5:45, and we drove south about 80 miles to Calloway Gardens, where
the marathon was held. Perfect marathon weather awaited us, with cool
crisp temperatures of about 35 at the start, calm winds, and sunny skies.
Paul and I planned the run the race together. We had done this one time
before, back in early 1997, and enjoyed each other's company during a
marathon with under 50 finishers. Yesterday's marathon was 2 loops of the
concurrently run 1/2 marathon course, so during the first 13.1 miles the
marathoners and 1/2 marathoners ran together. Only differing number ranges
on the race bibs separated the two groups until the 1/2 marathon split,
when the 1/2 marathoners forked to the right, and to the finish, and the
marathoners continued to the left, and their second loop.
We lost almost everyone at the 1/2 marathon split, as the marathon had
fewer than 100 runners, I believe. We found ourselves running alone as we
started the second loop. We were already starting to feel tired, and Paul
encouraged with this observation. "If the marathon were easy, a lot
more people would be doing it." My reply- "If they were much
easier, I would probably NOT be running them."
So we continued, mile by mile, gaining on, and passing close to a dozen
people that second loop, and not allowing anyone to pass us. In my mind, I
was thinking that with such a small field, that's a significant number of
people to be reeling in. We were hurting, but it was that good kind of
marathon hurt. While we complained to each other about how miserable we
were feeling, we continued to hold a pretty good pace through those
delirious final miles.
As we approached the finish line, we heard the announcer saying,
"Here come two finishers, and I wouldn't be surprised if they have
been running the entire race together. But ties are not allowed, so one of
you is going to have to win." We plan to duke it out at the shorter
distances again very soon, but as we looked at each other, that
competitive spirit was nowhere to be found this day. We linked hands as we
finished the race in a unison stride. We both won.
Our time? Well, you can't always judge a good time by the clock. We
succeeded in achieving our goal. We accomplished what we came to do, so we
had a great time. The fact that we both came home with age group awards
was just icing on an already very sweet cake.
Look for more interesting articles by Michael Selman here:
The Roads Scholar, Michael Selman runs and writes in Atlanta GA. He
would love to hear from you. Please e-mail him at TheRoadsScholar@aol.com
with any questions or comments.
?
email this page to a friend ! 
