On Thursday, I completed an easy 8K run in anticipation of today's race. That run also represented the completion of my 40th year of running! Pretty amazing that I am still upright after 4 back surgeries, surgery on both feet, meniscus surgery on my left knee, and a fracture of my right knee and both sides of my right ankle from my unfortunate meeting with an old truck mirror! Certainly can't run like I once did, but 4 days a week with two of them more intense and 3 days of weightlifting seem to be working pretty well right now. Will try and keep that up as long as possible. Next step would be to just run every other day.....so three days one week and four the next!
Today I headed to Las Cruces to run in the Luna county/Dona Ana' Senior games. The nice thing that they did, was allow anyone that wanted, to run a 10K qualifier, but also to get credit for a 5K qualifying time for the New Mexico Senior Games that will be held in Ruidoso in mid August. It is now different than it used to be for these state games, in that you have to qualify in first to third place in the 13 regional races to be allowed to run in the state games. The field was fairly small with about 35 men and 5 women. I had no idea of anyone's age, as we all seem to look about the same these days! My goal was to try and hold as even a pace as possible, and finish the 10K somewhere in the 58 minute range. The course was perfectly measured, and involved running out and back once for those that stopped at 5K, and a second time for those of us running 10K. It was around mid 40's with bright sun at the race start, and I resisted trying to run with anyone, and just stayed on the pace I needed. I came thru 5K in 29:04 feeling pretty strong. I was 2nd to another guy in my age group doing the 5K/10K double as well, and he got in on the 5K at just about 28 flat. On the second lap, I caught him at the 6K mark, and when I got to the turn around at the 7.5K mark, I timed the seconds until I passed him in the opposite direction, and it was around 42seconds, so doubling that, I was about a minute and a half ahead of his potential finish time. The course was exactly marked in kilometers by the local running club, as they do a variety of certified races on this paved river trail. I got to 9K and pushed as hard as my sore and tired body allowed, and finished in 57:27 for a second 5K loop of 28:23. My age group competitor finally came in at 1:01. So he won the 5K and I was 2nd, and I won the 10K and he was the 2nd there. All the other guys in the age group (which is 65-69 for senior games based on the age you acquire by year end) stopped at 5K. So all in all, a very good day. I was most pleased that I held my concentration and pace thru the pain and was able to do negative 5K splits! Home now waiting for Chris and AD to stop by for dinner and a movie. AD made chicken enchilladas from an old family recipe, and even hand made the tortillas that will go into the dish! Bet it will be awesome! For now, I will take a hot shower to loosen up, and then get nappy on the couch until my dinner arrives!
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