Run 101. The bonus run for fun. 26/4/2020.
Having completed the 100 half marathons in just less than a year, I had a couple of spare days. What better to do than to run another half marathon – this time for fun. So I took the opportunity to run with my wife Mary as she did a 20km recovery run from her long ride the day before. We decided to do a scenic run along the beach at a nice casual speed. But my competitive spirit wouldn’t let me run casually for too long. Around the 9km mark we were passed by a couple of cyclists who were sharing the path. They took the opportunity to pass us on a downhill section, but as soon as they hit the uphill part they lost speed and the game was on.
I only had to increase my effort a bit to slowly wind them in and enjoy the moment of repassing them with a smile. That cycle repeated itself twice more before I finally beat them to my turnaround point where I waited for my wife.
The return leg of the run was a bit more consistent, and I didn’t feel the need to chase anybody or any time. A phone call towards the end of the run reminded me that mum was struggling and my focus shifted with returning to Wangaratta.
My Three Learnings
Competitiveness doesn’t go away.
Bikes are slow uphill.
It’s hard to run slower than normal.