Week 46 -- Continue to Run

I dedicated the run to the people of Boston.

      I'm still trying to prove to myself that I can be a long-distance runner, although I have settled on half-marathons, rather than full marathons in recent years. Running 13.1 miles these days is challenging enough.
     Rather than travel long distances, such as past races in Chicago, Nashville and Louisville, the last 2 years I ran the Illinois Half-Marathon in Champaign-Urbana.
     The race is close so I don't have to spend a couple nights in a hotel and the price is about half what it costs to enter the big city events. And for 5 bucks you can shower afterwards.
     I ran the Illinois Half-Marathon in 2012 for my first race in about 5 years. I was disappointed with my performance, so decided to enter again in 2013.

My ninth half-marathon medal.

      I registered in late October and tried to stay in some shape through the winter but wasn't real consistent.
     Still, I got in some 5 and 6-mile runs, then a week before the half-marathon, I ran, and walked, 10 miles. I felt OK about being ready.
     I decided to dedicate this run to the people of Boston after the bombings at the Boston Marathon. I think all distance runners have a little of the "Boston spirit" in them and feel a connection to other runners. I bought a Boston Red Sox hat to wear while running the race.
     I went the day before the race to pick up my race packet but when I got there, they had no record of me registering. No "Bill Lair." No "Lair." No "2115 Douglas Drive, Charleston, IL." I was sent to a second desk. Still nothing. They sent me to a third person -- at the "Solutions" desk.
     "Here you are," this registration clerk said. "I found you. You are signed up ... for a shower."
     For some reason, when I registered last fall for the race and post-race shower, the only thing that went through was the shower! They let me register and I was 'In."
     I got up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. It was cold and I knew I would be standing around awhile before the run so I took an old red sweater that Cheryl hates. I would wear it before the race and then discard it when the gun went off. I put it on over my running shirt but then thought it would be easiest to tear it off when I wanted to discard it so I got out some scissors and cut the neckline.
     Later, I discovered that not only did I cut the sweater neckline, I also cut the neckline of my shirt -- almost like one of those '70s disco guys with the hairy chest who wore shirts that opened about down to their navels. Yeah, i was going to be this "cool, 60-something dude" running in the half-marathon.
     Well, I got there in plenty of time and enjoyed the race quite a bit. My sweet sister Judy planned to watch me when I went near her house in Urbana at the 11-mile mark.

Resting on my laurels.

     I never saw her. Judy never saw me. She said later she was near the guy dressed as a gorilla, but I never saw a gorilla either. I'm sure I was on the right route!!
     I made it to the finish line -- the 50-yard line of the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium. The sun was out and it had been a beautiful morning to run. My time still wasn't what I think I should be running but I was 90 seconds faster than last year, so I was pretty satisfied.
     For some reason, my jaws were so tired I couldn't even chew a slice of pizza at the post-race food table. After showering and getting some coffee, I headed back to Charleston. Up since 4:30 and running 13.1 miles on my 64-year-old legs, I quickly fell asleep on the couch -- to dream about running again next year and getting that time down to where it was 10 years ago.