I’ll be running in my fourth consecutive Osterville Run for the Library tomorrow morning – 8am from the Bay School.

I hate racing. I don’t like what they do to my stomach. I don’t like the way that I feel during them. I hate how my brain works (or doesn’t) once the gun goes off. I hate how I’ll judge myself on my performance because that’s how I presume I’ll be judged by others.

I know that part of my problem with races is that I don’t run enough of them. I limit myself to less than 5 a year, and it’s generally the same 4 or 5.

My brain generally works like this during a race:

Before the start
Don’t get too close to the front of the pack. You don’t want to be pulled along too fast @ the start.

Don’t get too close to the back of the pack. You want to have a good time and not get boxed in.

That’s good – settle in here next to the lady running with the dog and the guy w/ the stroller.

Don’t start too fast. Don’t start too slow. Did you get enough warmup time. How do your legs feel? You should probably stretch more. My stomach hurts. Should I hit the port-a-potty one more time. When did I eat? Shoot – it was only an hour ago .. I’m going to get a cramp.

I hope I have a better time that “pick a name of someone close by.”

Who’s in front of me? OK – try to stay close to that person in the red bandana.

Once the gun goes off
My legs are dead. Why are my legs dead?

Crap – I have cotton-mouth already. How far to the first water stop?

Move out of my way you old fart!  Why did I start so far back??

Did I start my watch (and then proceed to look @ watch obsessively for the next 10 seconds to make sure that it’s actually moving)

During the race
One mile down. That was waaaayyyyy too fast. I’m going to be dead in another mile. Time to ratchet it back a little.

Ha – that guy’s walking already.

How the hell is that guy passing me – wasn’t he just walking?? Stupid Jeff Galloway training methods.

It’s just a run. It’s just a run. It’s just a run.

Two miles down. Better time on the split.  I won’t die before the next mile.

I should have worn sun glasses.

I should have used more vaseline.

One f*in water stop on this whole course??!!!

God damn! that sun is hot. Don’t these people know that I run @ 5:30am.  Who plans a race for this late in the day??

Was that mile 3 I just passed?  Mile 4?  Please oh please tell me it was mile 4.

Finish line in site
Try and look cool.

Don’t puke in front of these nice people.
At the finish line
Thank god that’s over. Where’s the free food and water?  I hope they have gatorade.
An hour after the race is over
I could have done better.

Why did I slow down between miles 3 and 4?

I shouldn’t have walked through the water stop.

I need to enter more races.

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