I’m Here To Race

Northward ran the course, along the Platte River, the race’s namesake, past the felled tan ranks of last year’s reeds.  All along the 13.1 mile route curious folk gathered; massing at odd intersections with names like Bowles, Prince, Belleview, Union, Oxford, Hampden and Dartmouth.

The runner, feet hardened and calloused, picked his way through the mass of athletes.  Milling about before the start he was asked about his expectations.  The response, “I’m here to race”, a non sequitur crafted to intimidate.  The race announcer droned on until finally “Get ready, Go!”

The runner made mistakes.  He averaged 6:04 for the first three miles; far too fast for that 47 year old runner.  He paced off another runner until mile five where that runner peeled off, having completed the first leg of the relay.  It was hubris.  He then tried to hold the shoulder of every runner who passed him, and there were a few.  The last few miles the runner became a moving human speed bump as runner after runner passed him.  It was hard to tell who was running the relay and who was running the full 1/2 marathon.

The course wound through downtown Littleton, then along the bike path as it passed through Littleton, a sliver of Englewood and, finally, ended in Denver.  The wind negated any benefit of the elevation loss from start to finish.  There was no escaping it.   There were mean spirited voices in that wind.

The hill over the 8^th Avenue viaduct just after mile 12 looked and felt like a 45º incline.  The last quarter mile was run into the teeth of a stiff north wind. 

The post race food was amazing.  There were burgers, brats, rice & beans, chili, breakfast burritos, humus, garlic knots, cookies and tea.  While it was delicious, it was not the best thing for the runner to eat and it made him sick.

The running gods blessed this year’s Platte River Half Marathon with a window of almost perfect weather.  The temperature at the start was about 40º.  The snow storm that rolled through the area the night before gave way to few hours of clear skies.  But then the winds picked up.  Many of the exhibitor tents blew away.  Then the rain and snow returned. 

The runner checked his results:

1:24:42 – 6:27 / mile pace

First place in his age group

Second place in the masters division

22^nd overall

That done, he headed for the warmth of home.