March 19, 2013

10 of 65

RUNNING

While in high school, I enjoyed running track and cross country and thought of myself as a distance runner even though I had not competed in a race longer than 1-1/2 miles.  I never had the speed needed to be an elite runner, but I believed I had endurance and would be able to show it someday.  When I got to college and for several additional years, I ran sporadically.  I would decide that I needed to get into better shape and would run regularly for several weeks.  Then something would come up making it difficult to find the time and I would quit.  Weeks or months later I would start up again – until I was distracted by something new.  I changed that inconsistent approach in 1977.

I was 29 years old.  I read that the United Bank Marathon would be run in Denver the following Spring.  Today there are at least a dozen marathons held each week in the United States.  In 1977, only a small fraction of that number existed, so holding one in Denver – at altitude – was a newsworthy event.  I decided that I would like to complete a marathon before I turned 30, so I started training.  Within a few months, I went from running 2 or 3 miles a day to doing 50-60 miles a week.  I set aside some days for long runs, some for speed work, some for easy recovery jogs.  I was in the best shape of my life, looking forward to the 26.2 mile race that was getting closer each day.   About three weeks before the race, I took my last long run – 20 miles at a very easy pace.  My body did not think the pace was easy enough.  I strained a hamstring muscle that refused to heal quickly and had to miss the race entirely.

I set my sights on the marathon for the following year, giving me many months to properly prepare.  Once again I was in the best shape of my life.  I ran a 10k race as a tune up a month or two before the marathon and it felt good.  Although I had never run a full marathon, I made it my goal to finish in less than three hours.  That seems like a long time, but it works out to running faster than 7 minutes a mile for more than 26 consecutive miles.  I ran at that pace for the first 13 miles.  The race was held in May and started early in the morning, so the temperature was rising as we ran.  Affected by the heat and exertion, I slowed considerably during the last half, finishing in a little over 3:30.  I was happy to finish without regard to my time.

Eight months later I ran about 32 miles from Lafayette, Colorado to East Denver, just to see if I could do it.  It was actually sort of fun, but I injured my leg and had to cut back on my training for several weeks.  I reduced my running after our children were born in 1983 (Michael) and 1986 (Suzanne) so I could be more involved in their lives.  Still, I continued to run most days and participated in several road races each year.

The year before Michael started high school, I had minor surgery which caused some long lasting and unpleasant side effects.  For several months I was unable to run at all because doing so caused a great deal of pain.  During that Summer, Michael announced that he intended to go out for the high school cross country team.  I began working out with him to help build his endurance.  I was more interested in his development than in my discomfort, so, as we both started with easy workouts, I ran through the pain each day until it started decreasing and I began recovering.  For a change, my running healed an injury rather than causing it.

In early August, Michael and I ran a 5k race in Evergreen, Colorado – the Evergreen Town Race.  We stayed together for the first 2-1/2 miles and then I slowed down.  I thought it would help his confidence if he finished ahead of me.  That was the last time I ever felt I was letting him beat me.  In every race we’ve run together since that day 15 years ago, he has finished far ahead of me despite my best efforts.

I continue to run for recreation and participate in an occasional road race.  I have either won or finished second in my age group perhaps a dozen times during the past few years.  The important words in the last sentence are “in my age group.”  I have not become faster.  Rather, I have been fortunate enough to stay healthy, avoid knee damage and enjoy being outdoors and jogging most days.  Many faster athletes have not been as lucky and have left the sport as the years have passed.

I have run more than 30,000 miles since I decided to begin training for that marathon back in 1977.  I never did become any faster, but I have shown some endurance.