Having Some Fun

Yesterday was the Mid-States Classic, a meet made up of NAIA schools from Oklahoma to Nebraska, and Kansas to Missouri. I had planned to just be coaching at this meet, but the week leading up to this meet I was feeling hungry to race, to feel competitive, to see where my fitness was. I had not decided if I was going to run until that morning. I came prepared with my spikes and jersey, but it wasn’t until I walked up to check in Baker University and saw an old friend Jazz that I really decided to run. I had seen him run under 26 at OSU, and he encouraged me to have some fun in the race with him. It was then that I decided, "Why not?" Even though my training was far from 8k cross country style training and the week had not been a good lead up weak to race, I knew I had over 500miles of training since my last race, and it could be fun.
So the race began on a very windy morning in Winfield, KS. The first mile I ran right with my #2-#5 runners for Baker and my good friend Jazz. Jazz and I talked about running and just chit chatted for a mile catching up. The runners around us looked at us like we were out of our minds as they were racing, and we were just enjoying the run. After the mile, he decided to pick it up, and I looked around to my guys to see who I could help shield from the wind. On my right shoulder was a sophomore from Dallas, Texas, named Corey. He looked like he was ready to race, so I said let's do this, and he took off with me. I broke the wind for him through the next 4 miles, pushing him. When he would slow down, I would too and reaffirm to him that today was his day and the team needed him. I had so much fun talking to people as we ran and pushing Corey. When it came down to the sprint, I let my two top guys go on to the finish. I did not try and outkick them. I just yelled to FINISH, striding in myself at 27:01 for 8K and beating my friend Jazz. It was a disappointing time if that is all I look at, but the fact that Jazz, and my guys have run under 26 this year made me realize that if I had really raced on a nice fast course without wind I would have been far under 26 minutes. This was a huge confidence booster and a reaffirmation that I am on track to have a good half marathon in December in Florida. This had been my first cross country race since I left college nearly 2 years ago, and without a doubt my first cross race that I ran to glorify God and not myself. No pride was pushing me to kick in, no misunderstanding of what the race was for. I was running for God, having some fun along the way. What a great and fulfilling day!