I failed to mention something on Sunday. There was one woman behind me. But she never finished. And I even knew her. Imagine my surprise in the first mile when she looked at me and said "Mary?" "Knitting Mary?" Some people call me that because I knit a LOT. I didn't recognize her with her sunglasses and running gear, but when she told me her name, I knew who she was. A casual acquaintance. But she never finished the race.
So I was 800/800. But some people didn't finish. And like some of you reminded me, most people never started. It is OK.
The race course was really wonderful because it started in a small suburban downtown, and then after 2 miles or so, hit the bike trail that runs along the river. The majority of the race runs along the river on the trail. So I enjoyed that. By the time it was in central Denver, the course left the bike trail and went up an extremely unfairly placed hill and then back down into a cool 'hood in Denver.
BUT, I remembered that the very first blog entry I ever made - in 2004, was bitching about middle-aged men on bicycles. I was training for a tri, and therefore was on the bike trails a lot. I noticed that these overweight guys in spandex on bikes are incredibly aggressive and angry. A few of them buzzed me on the trail as I was running along, alone, on Sunday. I don't know why they have to act like that. Anyway, back in 2004, it bothered me enough to start a whole blog about it - I later deleted it. The guys in the pool irritated me similarly... the overweight guys who get out of the hot tub long enough to beat the shit out of the water and swim one or two lengths of the pool before getting out of the pool totally out of breath, but victorious because they swim FAST!
OK I will knock it off now. I hope I am not offending anyone, because I don't mean you guys who are really training for something and then really participating in something. Really.
8 comments:
Hmm...I don't know about angry people. I am glad they are taking it out on the water but don't know why they have to be rude to us also. I don't get it at all.
As for what I am wearing...the same thing as my first tri. It's my danskin two piece tri suit. I am currently looking for a matching pink top to wear over it. I felt so exposed running around with my fat jiggling-oy!
I'm going to call you Knitting Mary! Have been meaning to ask you - are you on ravelry.com? Do you have any pics of stuff you have knitted? Would love to see them!
You should feel great about your race. Most people don't run a half in their lifetime, so you've already done something that most people won't, or don't do.
There were probably other DNFers as well.
I enjoy those hot tub men, they make me laugh - they usually aren't that fast and most of them have bad technique.
Hope today goes well and there is no postrace crash at all.
OMG Mary I'm so offended!! LOL nah! I know what you mean though. I guess I look at it like Lisa, at least they're taking out on the water/bike?!
Good job on the Half!!!!!
You didn't offend me. You wont see me at a pool anyway based on my waistline. Wait a minute...I just realized the only pool anywhere near is at the Super 8.
I'm of the mind, if I'm not to be on the podium, not to give a crap about where I finish in a race :-) Easy for me, eh? ROFL!!!
I'm not offended either. That sounds like me speed day in the pool :-D
There is always a good chunk of race starters who never finish, so pat yourself on the back for being among those who finished!
That was a great race report. Finishing last is not the last, remember all the individuals that did not even make it to the starting line. I finished my first tri and 5K both LAST, and I did it with a smile, because I finished. As for the marathon, you will do just fine, keep up the great work.
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