So….I Ran Another Race

This one was Thanksgiving Day race in Manchester and this is how it went.

“Boo boo boo booooooooooooo  wake up boo boooo wake uuup”

She moans and groans like an old boat

Meanwhile I am three coffees strong and search the room for the perfect outfit.

After some rummaging around for the perfect outfit…. I never did find a good sock so the one embedded with wood chips and the sock with that small pebble you can never find, had to do. There, I was ready with the CE winter hat with poof ball and shoes well past there prime.. I was ready

” Boo, I am ready we got to go..Boo boo boo grab the keys we got to go”

We piled into the Booberry (a blue Honda fit) and off to the race.

Now there’s no actual way to get to the thanksgiving road race as the parking is impossible I simply got dropped off and Boo…..went back to bed.

There I was at the great Manchester thanksgiving road race, my gawd. The crowd was thick and excitement was in the air.

Oh no the race is starting in 15 minutes let me text my friend… I never found him. Just the typical ” i am over here” …. “how do you not see me”

And ended with “bro, duck it, I’ll meet up with you after the race”

“Oh noooo 5 minutes.” Alright I got to find my spot.

Now if you don’t know, they organize people by how fast you can run the race… faster people in the front, slower in the back. People that can run the race in 35 minutes towards the front, 45 minutes in the back etc. Now if you don’t know your race time it’s simply your waist size +10 minutes.

There I was, about to run with the best of the best …..okay, I was in the back.

And “pop” just like that the race has started…..off to a slow walk…..then a slightly faster walk and now we are running, nope the Hungry Tiger is handing out free beers…back to a walk.

Okay now we are running up the dreaded Hartford road hill.

Alright, this is it, I got this, you know what…I am going to run slightly faster

Proceeds to run imperceptibly faster 

“Yeah, that’s it”

An old guy in a red shirt proceeds to pass

“oh come on… “

Now I round a corner onto Porter St. I was on the lookout for all my childhood friends. I see Nick, then my brother Nick. Then Mom, Mike, and friends, so many friends. Now, I traveled Porter street by bike, car and by foot but never via officially sanctioned race event. The slow speed and excitement provided a different perspective. My hometown is a spiderweb of memories and life events some of my best friends to this day were made on this street. My first kiss, conflict with bullies, giggle-walks with friends and my first job were all on display in this race. Something about passing a place on foot makes the landmark taste better.

Now I am gaining ground I am really moving. All downhill from here, hitting my stride, feeling it now. I passed the Mile two: I still got this. Its going good.

Mile Three: This sucks

This is the last leg this is where the background conversation gets real. (The actual things I overheard)

“Come on bro you got this ”

” I am not built for this, i am gonna die”

“My ass is chafing “

I round the final corner, time to “pad the gains”. I ran as fast as I could. Whatever I had left. My pace hastened. My heart was racing.

Proceeds to run……actually slightly faster

Then there it was the red shirt. Oh it’s on, old man. It is so on. I must have gained on him in the straight and not know it. I focused on my breathing, altered the attack angle of my foot, sport mode is officially on.

Oh wait that the finish line and he passed it. Ahh, well better try again next year.

Post race I found my ex-coworker and we wondered a bit and caught up on on what we have been up to.

It wasn’t worth calling for a ride at least not yet. As Boo would only be stuck in traffic. . . So I wondered up and down the tree covered suburbs. In the network of memories where we used to raid the neighborhood for Halloween candy or the time I was part of an army squad trying to out maneuver the enemy with airsoft guns in the woods. Till, I arrived at grandmas. Battered, tired and a bit cold. Boo, stops by in the Booberry to pick me up.

“Boo, How was the race”

“It was nice” I said as I looked over at my first kiss.

3 months later :

Vincent states Drunkenly to a coworker: “Yeah, I could totally run the Hamden hills half marathon. Hell, I’ll sign up right now “

The next morning “well shit”