The Tortoise and the Hare

Part of the Horsetooth Half training through the Running U group is a race series called The Tortoise and the Hare.  The theory behind this, is that it is a social run, and after the race everyone that would like  to meets for bagels and coffee at a set location afterwards.  How it works is that running club will assign you a starting time based on your miles/minute.  If you haven't run with them before, you give them your best guess at of your pace; and if you have run with the club before, they calculate your running time by previous running times.  The slower runners start first, then the next slowest, all the way up to the fastest.  You are assigned to a group number and a start time, so that everyone should end at approximately the same time.  It's a great concept, and everyone feels equal, and runners are not strung out all over the course.  They also give points out for participation and placings; and have year end winners, which is not based upon how fast you run.  The run distances are incorporated with the Horsetooth Half training, so as the Half gets closer, the distances get longer.  It's fun because you get to see most everyone at the end.

Today's race started out cold at 31 degrees. I started with the group 18B, which had a time predicted of 31 minutes.  My group just took off, and were running an 8:50 pace, which I knew that I couldn't keep.  First, I have been sick, second I was still tired, and third I don't run that pace - it was way to fast.  So, I slowed my pace to a slower, but slightly uncomfortably fast pace for me.  I want to push myself during races, running just a little faster pace then my usual pace.  I always tell others that are starting to race for the first time that they should "run your pace".  Everyone is excited, and usually starts off too quick, which will quickly wear you down, because you are funning faster than you normally run.  I usually check my watch, and look at my pace after about a quarter of mile and adjust accordingly.  Everything went fine during the 5k, it was the normal 5k sufferfest for me.  They are the hardest distance for me, because basically, I am not a fast runner, and runners usually run the shorter distances faster.  My ending time was 31:02 minutes, so I was perfectly predicted.

At the end of the race, I was able to talk with two other Skirt Sport Ambassadors!  One, Crissianne is starting her third year of being  an Ambassador for Skirt Sports, and Stacey is a new Ambassador this year, like me.  It was cool because Crissianne was one of the runners that I paced up the first long hill (5 miles long) at the Black Squirrel Trail Half Marathon.  She had thanked me afterwards, and said she would have never made it up the hill at that pace if I hadn't been pacing her.  It was so exciting that she and I already had a connection.  Neither of us knew Stacey, but now we do .  This was Stacey's first run with the Running U group. It was so special to be with these too, my new Skirt Sport Sisters!  I am really excited about being an ambassador for this company, I have already met and made contact with some amazing women.   I will talk more about my Ambassadorships later.

After the race was done, Tom and I went back out, and ran the race course again.  As you might remember from yesterday, we were supposed to run 6 miles.  We had only ran 3.4 miles, so we needed to run 6 miles today.  The second time was at a much slower pace, and I even walked twice.  I still have a tired body.  I couldn't fall asleep last night, and laid awake until 12:15am.  I was so hungry that my stomach hurt, so finally had to get up and take some Casein protein. I believe I had gotten behind on my nutrition and protein from all the physical activity in the last couple of days. I fell right to sleep after that.  We met four other people along the course doing the same thing!  They all said they were making up for miles from yesterday, and that their second time was much slower. Now I didn't feel so bad.  I am such a Tortoise.

I am a tortoise.  I am a slow runner.  Is this so bad?  Sometimes it is, sometimes I care, sometimes I don't.  However, I may be slow, but I always get there, and I can do the distance.  In fact, some Tortoises can do longer distances then the Hare.  Hares run their heart out for short distances, they don't seem to enjoy the run, they don't look around, they don't stop and smell the roses.  Us Torti, we enjoy our run, we would rather enjoy it longer.  We would like to run forever, and we stop and smell the roses.  We take pictures. We stop and look at the wild flowers, and wild turkey flocks,  and the scenery.  We take our time, but believe me, we have stamina.  We are there for the long-haul.  My advise:  Don't mess with us.  We have a hard shell.

Are you a Tortoise or a Hare in your life?  Do you stop and smell the roses?  Do you look around, enjoy  your life, and all it has to offer?  Do you go to work, put your heart into it while you are there, and leave it at the door when you walk out?  Or are you a Hare and let the world pass you by while you are engrossed in work and the business of life?  I used to be a Hare while I was working.  I was always working, even at home I was working.  Answering e-mails late at night for work, thinking about the next day at work in the evening, and doing the same in the morning while cleaning horse stalls.  I did my best to not work at home, but my job became very mind consuming, as well as physically consuming.  Even though I was only at 80% the last 3 years I was working, I always worked more than 40 hours every week.  When I made the decision to retire after 31 years, I was so afraid to let go of my busy life, I was afraid to retire.  What would I do?  I made a list of things I wanted to do because I was so afraid I would be lost.  I was afraid that the Hare was going to get caught in a trap, and lay there and die.  You know what I found out?  Well, the Hare didn't get caught in a trap and die, the Hare learned to be a Tortoise.  The Hare found a life outside of work, she learned to sleep a little longer, to take more time to watch the sunrise and sunset, to have more time on the trail, to go to movies, to shop, to make more time to workout, to eat better, and play better.  I love being a Tortoise.  I am glad and grateful for the years as a Hare, it's made me appreciate the Tortoise years.  Are you are Tortoise or a Hare?  I am a Tortoise.


              Stacey, Crissianne and I at the Tortoise and Hare today, Skirt Sport Ambassadors