blog

I’m a runner. Not any
kind of runner, just the average middle-aged runner, trying to keep some vestige of fitness in my life.

When you’re this kind of runner, winning doesn’t happen often. At least, in the official sense... you know, with trophies and bling and cheers? The wins tend to be the personal ones (I made it to that mailbox without stopping! I didn’t throw up! I went the whole 4 miles and didn’t stop to pee!!). And before you raise your eyebrows at me, those wins
count.

I do enjoy a local 5k. Not the huge corporate ones, but the local ones where the money has been designated to something that matters to me or my family. Being the not-so-fast runner, I don’t expect to win. My goal is to finish (and to also look fabulous if I pass a camera).

This weekend I ran in one that supports our local YMCA, which I run every year. The course doesn’t vary, it’s got this horrendous looooooooong hill around the beginning of mile 3 which is just a beast. My personal goal in this race is to make it up
is in a subdivision where I enjoy selling houses, and at the top this year, was one of my houses "under contract"! So of course, I stopped and took a selfie with the sign, not feeling any time pressure on the race.

I finished, got my free stuff from the sponsors, and went about my day. Much to my surprise, I got an email the following Monday, letting me know that I had won my age group.




You see, my time wasn’t fast. It wasn’t anything to brag about or post anywhere on social media, it was just my race time. I never expected to see my name on a winners’ list.

I won because I showed up and got lucky. I know that it was pure luck that many of the actually fast runners in my age group were either in other races or had won overall prizes for their times in this one. However, had I not shown up, this would never have happened. This, winning a pint glass, which is a race prize most runners will actually use.

You may be that super competitive person who has a need to win everything, who needs the perfect setup and perfect training and perfect opportunity to make it happen. Who sometimes gets sidelined by the need for perfection.

Or you may be like me. I’m not always perfectly ready. I’m not always perfectly right on target with what I
be. But I show up. I get it done in my way, in my time.

Which means sometimes, I win.

And friends, in this messy life, I will take every ‘sometimes’ win I can get.

Go get yours.