Graduated Age Group in Style
By Longboard
I started running, barefoot running, and racing at age 56. Since I will turn 60 this Thursday today was my final race in the men's 55-59 age group.
It was a 5K associated with a Fishing Festival on the St. Clair River which connects Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair which flows into the Detroit River and then on to Lake Erie.
There was also a 10K event, and I saw plenty of grey and/or balding heads at the joint start.
I ran my second fastest 5K ever, but since there were so many old guys I figured finishing and then enjoying the included pancake breakfast would be good enough.
Imagine my thrill closing out my career in that age group with my first ever.............FIRST PLACE!
Had I been four days older I would have come in third, and had I been 5 YEARS and 4 days older I also would have come in third. How did THAT happen?
There was even a 78 year old man, and a handful of other over 70's there.
In the 10 K I would have come in even further behind, and not even placed in my age group.
But for some reason Karma kicked in for my last race in the age group.....I not only came in first....but last as well! I was the only entrant in 5K 55-59 despite dozens of old pharts around.
It just worked out I guess.
Not only got the medal, but the awards ceremony featured a real announcer with a real announcer's voice and audio system to do it justice.
WAY cool way to finish an era and move on to the older group.
Of course I could have done the same thing with a 40 minute time for that matter, so in some ways it was a waste of being a few seconds behind PR, but then again I guess that time made it a LEGIT first place.
