Relativity

Yesterday we ran the Freedom 5K here in Granbury and while I got 3rd in my age division my time was slow in comparison to what I've run in the past. Terry came in 2nd and likewise his time was slow in comparison to the past.

I was not going to run this 5K. I've not been running hard since Cowtown and I know I am not in race shape so my decision to run the 5K was to simply run it, not race it.

Then the race comes. I simply cannot just RUN in a race and I push, not hard enough, but still I push. And then when it's over I am upset with myself that I didn't train hard for the race. And yet it's all relative right? I've learned that for me it's best to train for specific races and then allow my body to rest and do some cross training. And so my PRs came in the spring. It was time to let my body recover and get ready for knee surgery so that I can run the Missoula Montana Marathon next July.

In the end getting 3rd place which used to be exciting and amazing to me, has become mundane when I KNOW I could win 1st if I really trained. And so my attitude must change. I can run, and I run a pretty good pace even when I am not in race shape and my knee is hurting and so it's all a matter of relativity.

And now I'm on to the next phase in my running/swimming/biking endeavors.