The Makings of a Dynasty....

At the end of the day, I'm an age-grouper. Though, I've never read a definition, here's what that means to me:

1) You'll never see my on the "podium" after a race. I'll never take home money and never be in the Top 3 overall.
2) However, depending on who shows up on the starting line, I might sneak into an age-group award. Age group awards are particularly whimsical. I won first place at a local 4 miler in 2008, only to come back and finish 6th a year later. I should add, I actually ran faster the second year. Like I said, whimsical.

That being said, Knoebels Lumber 5k has been my bitch since 2007 when I showed up and said, "Isn't there anybody here my age??" And apparently there wasn't, as I ran a 20:30 the day before a 20 miler.

In 2008, I did the 20 miler the day before and allowed myself to "let it all hang out" on the 5k. But there ain't much to hang after a 20 miler, and I came in 20:11, but also good enough for the second age group award in a row.

This year, I had it all lined up: the marathon was behind me and my job and family actually required working and familying, as they sometimes will, which meant I came to the line tapered, rested and ready.

The result? 19:46! Now those of you who read this blog religiously may recall my 19:25 in the spring, but the fact is: that course wasn't 5k. Heck, it was barely 3 miles. I knew it then and so when people asked me my 5k PR, it was always 19:25, buuuuut....

But this course was true... and I ran it well, a full 1 second under my official 5k PR and good enough for first place - once again - in the 35-39 group.

Equally as cool, I came in 7th out of 172 overall, once again bested by six high school kids... which has also been the story for the past two years.

Truth is, if I could convince the Knoebels people to do this when those whipper-snappers are in school, I could be looking at a REAL podium, not something dictated by my birth certificate.

Hey, a man can dream, right?

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