Top ten reasons to run races

Running the Summer Roundup Trail Run 12k this morning, I was thinking about the reasons that I continue to run races. Plenty of runners never get into the sport of racing, they just run to run. And others, like me, get addicted from the beginning. My first races were on the track as a high school freshman, and I've been racing since.

Here are my top 10 reasons for racing:

#10 - The race line-up talk. It's so fun to listen to the pre-race jitters flowing freely. The talk this morning mostly centered around the pending hills. As I overhead one runner ask another "Are the hills really as bad as they are hyped up to be" and runner #2 responds "nah, they're not that bad". I wanted to look at runner #1 and say "Sucka!" (with a wink, of course). Seriously though, the lining up of the race is one of my favorite things to observe. See #2.

#9 - The line-up scramble to the front. This one always makes me giggle. For instance, this morning you've got 650 runners that will shortly converge down to a 6 ft wide trail (narrower in some spots), with 300 of said runners jockeying for a spot at the very front. Makes. Me. Laugh.

#8 - The during race chatter. As I made a quick move to pass a runner during one of the few uphills in the second half of today's race, another runner came up behind me with "Nice pass. That one was Nascar worthy". "Thanks, show me what you've got" was my response as he passed me and sped along.

#7 - The volunteers. I love when they chant "Good job". "Not much further". Although, that last one used to irk me, especially when I was on a course that I knew by heart and they were lying just to make us runners feel good. It's a nice gesture though and races would not be successful without the volunteers. We love them. We love the water they pass out. And we even love their cheers. Thank a volunteer!

#6 - The tshirts. Yes, I have so many of them, they overfloweth from my t-shirt drawer. But I still need more. I liken it to when I was nursing and couldn't stop collecting the liquid gold to freeze and have for use later. It was an obsession, as is my collection of race shirts. I will someday send them in and have a t-shirt quilt made.

#5 - INSPIRATION (i.e. The old ladies). I have been watching this elderly lady race in town for about 7 years now and I want to be her one day. I nicknamed her "grandma", I have no idea if she actually is a grandma. But she is 73 and she kicks butt. INSPIRATION!

#4 - The endorphins. Racing gives me such a high. Being around so many athletes at one time, seeing their struggles, smiles, shiny new shoes - and I'm high as a kite.

#3 - The community. When racing in your local area, you'll always run into some of the same people. They are your running community. Runner communities are like a close-knit family. It's nice to be greeted, it's nice to chat after the run. It's just nice.

#2 - The post-run meal. I love food. I run to eat food. I run to eat food so I can stay trim but still eat food. Any kind of food. Today's post-race meal consisted of buttermilk pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. On a quaint patio restaurant downtown with my family - see #1.

#1 - And my all time top reason for racing. My family. The joy that I get out of having them show up as I'm finishing a race, I can't put into words. Their excitement, my excitement. Mix that all together and it's pure bliss. I want my girls to see mommy being active and pursuing my interests, in hopes that they will always do the same. They love to wear my medals around the house. They know mommy runs and that makes me happy.