Fellow runners and teammates are timeless. No matter how long it has been since you have competed on a team with fellow runners, they will always be able to help you push your limits. If you have not already figured it out, I am an active runner. Check out the list of recent races I have posted! I ran track and cross country during my last two years of high school and got back into it again once my undergraduate college (Nazareth) started a new track and field and cross country program. Since graduating, I have made an effort to maintain my habit of running.
So on Tuesday evening, I met Craig and Chris for a run. Chris is a former Nazareth runner/teammate whom I have been training and running road races with. Craig is also a former Nazareth runner/teammate whom left the area to attend graduate school. It has been about 2 weeks since I had a decent run. Craig being the best in shape of all of us, was the one I had to push my self to keep up with on this run. After 44 minutes and 6 miles distance, my buddies helped push me through to the end. That's a pace of about 7:20 which for me was pretty painful! I walked away with some pretty tight legs... but I did it, and my teammates helped!
Now on to tonight's race, the Innovative Edge Summer 5k Cross Country Series (Meet #4). A 5k cross country style race with my "teammate" Chris. In the wake of still feeling tired from the cold I had this past weekend, sore as hell from Tuesday's run and the hot humid weather, the race was TOUGH. The field was a wide variety of ages, kids as young as 13 or so all the way up to runners in their 60's.
After laying down a steady start to the race I settled in. It was difficult because during that first mile the particular pair of underwear I was wearing had a loose elastic band resulting in some bunching and slipping and *ahem* well... let's just say the luggage stored in the cargo hold of the airplane was shifting around a lot in flight, if you catch my drift! *blushing* Chris was still running near me and we were encouraging each other nonetheless.
The first mile marker of the race was in the middle of the steepest hill of the race. I turn a corner and *BOOM* there's a nasty looking steep hill... steeper than anything I had climbed in recent months. That took a lot out of me. But I held on. After another mile and a half or so looping around some narrow trails in the woods... up and down some fast root and rock laden hills, I emerged back into the evening sun for the final loop towards the finish chute. Chris and I worked those hills as aggressively as we would have when we were running for Nazareth! By that time, I was beaten, battered and sore... not much left for a finishing kick. But I did it.
I've got to give mad props to Craig and Chris... fellow teammates will always push you to the finish.
Since that was my first experience running this particular cross country course... I want another go at it next season. I did it once... I am going to do it even better next time!
So on Tuesday evening, I met Craig and Chris for a run. Chris is a former Nazareth runner/teammate whom I have been training and running road races with. Craig is also a former Nazareth runner/teammate whom left the area to attend graduate school. It has been about 2 weeks since I had a decent run. Craig being the best in shape of all of us, was the one I had to push my self to keep up with on this run. After 44 minutes and 6 miles distance, my buddies helped push me through to the end. That's a pace of about 7:20 which for me was pretty painful! I walked away with some pretty tight legs... but I did it, and my teammates helped!
Now on to tonight's race, the Innovative Edge Summer 5k Cross Country Series (Meet #4). A 5k cross country style race with my "teammate" Chris. In the wake of still feeling tired from the cold I had this past weekend, sore as hell from Tuesday's run and the hot humid weather, the race was TOUGH. The field was a wide variety of ages, kids as young as 13 or so all the way up to runners in their 60's.
After laying down a steady start to the race I settled in. It was difficult because during that first mile the particular pair of underwear I was wearing had a loose elastic band resulting in some bunching and slipping and *ahem* well... let's just say the luggage stored in the cargo hold of the airplane was shifting around a lot in flight, if you catch my drift! *blushing* Chris was still running near me and we were encouraging each other nonetheless.
The first mile marker of the race was in the middle of the steepest hill of the race. I turn a corner and *BOOM* there's a nasty looking steep hill... steeper than anything I had climbed in recent months. That took a lot out of me. But I held on. After another mile and a half or so looping around some narrow trails in the woods... up and down some fast root and rock laden hills, I emerged back into the evening sun for the final loop towards the finish chute. Chris and I worked those hills as aggressively as we would have when we were running for Nazareth! By that time, I was beaten, battered and sore... not much left for a finishing kick. But I did it.
I've got to give mad props to Craig and Chris... fellow teammates will always push you to the finish.
Since that was my first experience running this particular cross country course... I want another go at it next season. I did it once... I am going to do it even better next time!
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