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The much shorter version

I spent chunks of time today writing a post on this morning's Race for Pace. I would add more details and then take something way. Ultimately, I ended up boring myself, which means I would probably put most of you to sleep. So here is an abbreviated post, in a list.

  • It was probably about 35-degrees at race time, but sunny (it was 29 degrees when I got there 45 minutes earlier).
  • My attire of a long-sleeved t-shirt, a windbreaker, yoga pants, socks as gloves, and a knee brace (one of those flexible-stretchy things) from early this century turned out to be the right wardrobe.
  • I was relatively pain-free the entire time (knee brace was a good call); even my feet hurt very little (though during the first mile, two of my toes were numb from the cold!)
  • I started off strong, kept a pretty steady pace, struggled a bit near the end up the last hill, but "kicked it in" as best as I could the last tenth of a mile.
  • Having my friend Diane there cheering me on really helped. As I was struggling up the last hill, she made me laugh (or at least smile as I was out of breath) when she yelled, "Go, Faith! Don't embarrass me." 
  • I completed the race in 28:55 and finished in third place in my age group!
  • For reasons I cannot explain, after the race, my name was not called as the third-place winner, and I had thought I was fourth until I read the official results online a few hours ago. 
  • I bid on and won a "family fun" package, which includes a year's family member to the Carnegie Museums and tickets to a Gemini Children's Theater play, Phipps Conservatory, and the Pittsburgh Zoo. 
  • I feel really proud of myself for finishing the race in under 30 minutes.
  • But I also feel kind of old because a former student from J's school whom two years ago I beat by about two and a half minutes today beat my time by over seven and a half minutes. It is logical that a now-14-year-old boy would improve over the past few years while a now-40-year old woman would lose ground. But it does not make me feel any better.
  • But the important thing is I did it Yeah, me! Oh, and you can call me Master (I was the sixth fastest woman over 40). :-)
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Comments

bluzdude said…
Way to go, Facie! Proud of ya.

And don't sweat the kid... that's the natural order of things. They's suppose to get better.
October 14, 2012 at 10:23 AM
LaLa said…
You go girl! I don't think I could run that far even I was being chased. And in that cold as well. Good for you.
October 14, 2012 at 8:17 PM
Facie said…
Thanks, Bluz and LaLa.

And, Bluz, I know you are right, but sometimes I think of myself as still being young(er) and feel as if I should be able to do what I did 210 years ago. Need to get over that!
October 15, 2012 at 6:39 AM
chris h. said…
That's so great, Facie. I just can't master running, and to run 3 miles (in any amount of time) is to me impossible. Congrats!
October 15, 2012 at 8:57 PM
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