A Passion for Running

I simply cannot understand the passion that some people have for making themselves thoroughly uncomfortable and then boasting about it afterwards. - Patricia Moyes

That pretty much sums up the 8-mile race I ran this weekend. It was the 1st race in the Pikes Peak Road Runner's Winter Series and since the temperature was a frigid 24 degrees with scattered snow falling, to say that I was uncomfortable is an understatement. Technically, this was to be the 2nd race in a 4 race series but the first one was cancelled due to weather - the trails were unreachable. I confess, I am not an extreme weather runner. But since running has been a passion of mine since my teen years and the weather has been quite extreme this winter ~ guess I better learn to love it or live without it during these cold months. So, starting off a race in below freezing temps was a stretch for me but that is exactly the reason I committed myself to run the Winter Series ~ to stretch myself.

My goal was to finish the race in under 1:10 and now here comes the boasting part...I finished in 1:08:50, taking 2nd in my age group. Once my feet started pounding the dirt, all that uncomfortableness melted away ~ and I went into my running zone. And I was so happy to be able to say I completed an 8-mile race under my goal pace in freezing temps - yes, forgive me, I boasted.