One week from today is the OBX Marathon in North Carolina, and although I’m only doing the half, I’m still pretty excited. The long range weather forecast says it will be in the low 50′s and no precipitation that day. Seems like perfect running weather. My son Jason is geeked about it and is determined to beat me. I’m sure that there will be a small wager coming up on this, but I think it’s like taking candy from a baby. Even with my torn meniscus, my MS, my age (what am I 63 now?) and lack of training properly, I will still beat him. He doesn’t know it yet, but I will get him drunk the night before and he will sleep thru the alarm and not make it in time for the start. I can see it now, he’s running to get to the start while still trying to get dressed. Then he will take off like a rocket, pass me at mile 3, give me the finger and soon will be so far ahead that I can’t see him. However, by mile 8, I see him on the horizon, his pace has slowed to a shuffle, and is drooling profusely. I offer to help him by getting water, but he shakes me off and says, “yur a jlerk and I bill sthill beethe yooou”. Get a grip boy. I slow down just enough that I am taunting him, but by mile 12, it looks like he’s regained his composure and is now running all out again. I let him pass me and soon he is 50 yards ahead of me. But it looks like he’s slowing down again and soon we are even. At mile 13 we are neck and neck and I look at him, and he looks at me, and we know at that point what we must do. As he tries to trip me, I jump up and land on his foot. I see bone protruding out of his skin, but still he runs on. At this point I realize that he wants this more than I do and we are about 25 feet to the finish line. He’s limping so bad that I have to pull him up from behind and will all my might, I throw him across the finish line. The race director is so impressed that he immedialty declares this the Jason Gillikin memorial run and hands him a medal along with the post race banana and bagel. I’m so proud!
Countdown to The OBX
Excuses excuses. Oh boo hoo, I have a blood condition…whaaaa, I have more than one sclerosis…..woe is me, I’m old…………..and I’m so injured…..how can I ever win? Give me a break – you know you’re poised to run about 1:30 at sea level. I’ll be lucky to crack 1:50.
Did I say “how will I ever win?” I said in spite of all that, I will still win. You run sub 8:00 for 8 miles yesterday which will put you at about 1:45. My best ever is 1:46 so it looks like you will have to spot me 5 minutes. New math.