Running in the Redwoods- Part 2
I did not catch Secretariat. I reached the finish line and I found him there smiling with a gold medal around his neck. I inquired about my gold medal. Instead of a gold medal, I was given a second place ribbon and then told that I was in Secretariat’s age group. I was stunned, and he started laughing. He thought it was hilarious that I was placed in his age group and wound up with the ribbon instead of a medal. Upon registering for this race, he was placed in the 60 – 69 age groups, and I was placed in the 70 – 79 age groups. Being the only individual in my age group, I thought I was going to come in both first and last in my age group. He could not stop laughing.
As it turned out, my finishing time was faster than two 50-year-olds, and one runner in the 30 to 39 age group. I also came in front of a runner in the 20 to 29 age group which meant that I was more than three times older then that runner. All told, there were about 45 runners in this 3 5Km, and over 80% younger than age 50. Those runners were fast.
By the way, last year, I came in first in my age group 3 times and have yet received a gold medal from the Pacific Coast Trail race management. I do not know what I have to do in order to receive a gold medal from this group.
After leaving the park, Secretariat and I returned to the Holiday Inn and cleaned up. Then we headed for home having dinner in Tracy. I suggested that we have our desert at Baskin-Robbins.
We stopped at Baskin-Robbins in El Dorado for a real treat. Stopping at Baskin-Robbins took the sting from not receiving that gold medal. I look forward to another race day and another Baskin-Robbins treat. Thank you Secretariat, the weekend was fun, difficult, rewarding, and the company was good. We both laughed a lot.
Today Secretariat and I are planning on running the trail. On Thursday, Secretariat, Carrie Barrett and I are running from Forest Hill to Michigan Bluff and back in order to introduce Carrie to that section of the Western states trail. Carrie is considering competing in the Tevis Cup this year.
Tomorrow I am lecturing at UC Davis in their Cardiology Rehab department to talk about well-being, overcoming and a preventative health prescription.
Stay healthy, my friends and keep on running.
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