Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Still hot hot hot

The temperature reached 96 yesterday but the dew point pushed its effect way over a hundred for the third day in a row. At noon I led the running group at work out on its regular weekly run but since it was so hot the group only went two and a quarter miles, up Capitol Hill so I could practice on a hill one more time before Saturday's hilly Lake Tahoe Relay, where I will be a guest runner on Bex's team. The heat reduced participation in the group to one, that being me.

(Left: Bex passes by Emerald Bay as she anchors her team at last year's Lake Tahoe Relay.) A couple of years ago I organized a running team at work to participate in the 2006 Capitol Hill Classic 3K Team Competition. I invited Bex to be a guest runner and she came in third in leading our team to victory. As I picked up the team's medals later, the race director asked me if I wanted a gold medal for Bex because she took first in her age group, or a bronze medal because she was third in the race. Which would you choose?

I chose the bronze race medal over the gold age-group medal for Bex. I hope she agreed with my choice. For the first time in my life I am in a similar conundrum.

You remember that yesterday I described Sunday's 3-Mile Survivor Harbor Race around Baltimore's Inner Harbor? I finished the three miles in 23:17 (7:45) amidst a steady stream of dozens of runners. Finishing amongst the runners from the much larger 7-mile race, I couldn't tell which runners were from what race.

It turns out that I finished in third place in the 3-miler, seventh overall, the first Master. I beat the next Master by over a minute, and the next person over 50 by more than five minutes. So gold medal for the Master's win, or bronze medal for finishing third in the race?

If they send me an award, I hope it's a bronze and not a gold.

People seemed to enjoy the finish-line photo of the 2006 7-Mile Survivor Harbor race I posted yesterday. Here's another view of that finish. (Right: Ryun/Keino? No, just two mid-age mid-packers feeling the momentary return of old glories.)

I'll check back in with y'all when I get back from Tahoe.

19 comments:

Don said...
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Don said...

Oops.

I love that finish-line photo.

Hope you get the bronze medal too - congratulations on first Master.

Have a great time in Tahoe!

ShirleyPerly said...

Congrats on your 3-mile race results! My award choices would be an overall over a masters over an AG.

Great sprint to the finish!!

Sunshine said...

That last picture is fantastic.
Hope you come home with a medal in your color of choice.
Ah the memories of past races .... looking forward to your sharing when you return.

Danielle in Iowa in Ireland said...

Oh I think any runner would know to send the bronze!

yumke said...

Wow, great result on a three miler. I can't believe you're racing in that weather, you deserve something for that in any case. (And a noon run, ouch, i'm getting dizzy just thinking about that)

Rainmaker said...

I think I like this second view better - as you're both mostly looking straight ahead. Cool!

Rich said...

Good luck out in Tahoe!

skoshi said...
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Anonymous said...

You look strong in the picture...good job!!

I can't believe how hot it is up there.

Anonymous said...

Good to see the pic--looks like you were leaving it all on the line. Firm believer in that. But you knew that.

Thanks for the email. Been really busy, but starting to get back in the swing of things. Running close to 20m/wk with yoga 3-4x/wk to keep the hip and back in working order. Nasty shin splints, but I guess the good news is the doc assures me it's not a stress fracture. Needless to say, Tokyo's notoriously hard surfaces don't help.

Anyway, best of luck to you and Bex in Tahoe. Oh, and wish the FTC team the best this weekend! -A.

Jade Lady said...

Congrats! Lovin' the photo! This weather sure is funky, huh? I hope we get a cooldown front soon.

CewTwo said...

It is a great Photo!

Enjoy the heat in Nevada, too!

nylisa said...

Congrats on your finish! Have fun in Tahoe!

Black Knight said...

Congratulations on first master and for the final sprint.
Which medal would you choose? Both of course!!!!!

Anne said...

Great job! I'm curious why you had to chose and does this mean that someone in the category you don't chose moves up to secure a medal, even if they didn't finish in that order? I'm confused but maybe it's because most of the races I enter allow you to 'double dip,' especially for team awards.

Unknown said...

I hope they send you the bronze!

akshaye said...

Ah .. thats a classic picture!

Stay cool. We've just had the weather improve ever so slightly.

jeanne said...

you're a winner! gold v bronze? I'd be thrilled with either one!

CONGRATS PETER!