15.10.06 the last race
This is the last race of the year, I told myself as I kicked myself out of bed this morning and dragged my ass to Lafontaine Park.
I was neck-and-neck with a mysterious person of unknown age and gender for most of the last four kilometers. They would pass me, I would pass them, repeat. They were tiny and crooked, groaning and panting like an elderly person, and I couldn’t tell anything else about them because they were wearing a hat and sunglasses. But struggle as they did, my mystery opponent wouldn’t give up.
I sprinted the last of the race, forgetting about Mysterio until I crossed the finish line. As I was lining up to have my rank recorded, I turned around and there she was, and she was old. An old lady who had given me a run for it, no pun intended. We spontaneously high-fived and hugged.
Her age and ranking had attracted attention, and a volunteer said in appreciation, “Isn’t it unfair how nature distributes talent so unevenly?”
“Nature? Talent?”, she replied. “No such thing. I frikkin work for this!”
Then someone asked her age, and she proudly said 68. Exactly twice my age.
And that’s when I thought, This is so not the last race.
Ah yes… I know that feeling!
I did a 1/2 marathon the weekend before last, and in the last couple of hundred meters, I passed a small, frail old woman who must have been easily in her late 50s or early 60s. I thought to myself “How in the world is it possible that this old woman was ahead of me this entire time!?”
As stunned and upset (sort of) that I was that she nearly beat me, I have great admiration for that woman and all other men and women that can still haul ass at that age, beating out many many other runners that are a fraction of their age. I also find it very humbling and motivating as well.
I can only hope to still be able to “frikkin’ work for it” when I get to that age!
Great post MJ!
Know what you mean…was out biking yesterday when all these men & women (clearly in their 60’s and beyond) were zooming along much faster than I was.
It’s a great reminder that no matter how tired or ‘old’ we feel, it really is important to drag ourselves out of bed and off the couch to race, run, bike, climb, etc.
And that the only way to stay in shape well into our 60’s and beyond (for most of us) is with old fashioned hard work, discipline & determination.
Not so glamourous, but comforting knowing that it is possible.
(Frequent reader writes:) You might not believe me, but in 10 years time, you won’t be calling 68-year-olds OLD.
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