18.15

Run a two-mile race and finish 1st in my age group: CHECK! Today (July 4, 2006) was the day you've all been waiting for...my appearance in the Laurel Montana 9th Annual Chief Joseph Run. Up at 5am to snarf down a Snickers Marathon Double Chocolate Crunch Energy Bar and knock back a tall one (ice-cold lemon-flavored Gatorade Propel Energy Water), I was ready to go. We (Jenny, sister Emily, Tom (Emily's husband), and sister Susan) headed to Laurel for the 7am start time. Our groupies (Grandpa Andersen, Eli, Nathan, and Liam) were also up early and took their place along the course to cheer us on.

I have to say to the organizers, though, that I was completely disappointed they didn't start the race with a gun. All the races I've seen in movies start that way, and I'm sure that my $15 entry fee would have covered it. You can get cap guns at the dollar store, you know. Anyway, the T-shirt is nice (not from the dollar store). I was also excited to grab a Dixie cup of water at the half-way point, take a sip, then crumple it up and toss it aside just like they do on TV. It's the little things, you know...

After months of training and 35 pounds of lard gone, I was off on my first race. I had a blast! The hill was daunting (yes, Jenny used that adjective in her post, too, but I think I was the first one to use it when we saw the hill yesterday). The half-way point was at the top, then it was all downhill from there, literally. I sprinted about the last 1/4 mile, and finished with a time of 18.15. Not bad. In fact, good enough to "sweep" my age group and take first place. Oh, just in case you're wondering, my plaque does not say "1st out of 1" (although I WAS the only 30-39 year old in the race). It just says first place, so that's my story.


Other notable results: Jenny took 2nd in her age group! Take that, deep vein thrombosis. Emily took 1st place in her group (same group as Jenny). To his surprise, Tom took 1st in his age group (20-29) and Susan, who entered the four-mile race, finished 2nd in her age group. Tom and I are considering retirement now, though. I mean, where can you go after a 1st place finish, anyway?