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October 26, 2005
Not my finest moment
4/6 of my family is running in the local Turkey Trot: me, my dad, and my two younger brothers. While the point of all of us participating is NOT to compete, when I suggested the race I just assumed I would easily beat them all. I have been running faster than my Dad recently, in April my 14 year-old brother ran a 30 minute 5K (his first race), and my 23 year old brother works out a few times a week, including a few 2-3 mile running days, but he only works out to combat food, beer, and office life. Those are all wonderful reasons to workout-he just doesn’t enjoy running like I do. In fact, he doesn’t like it very much at all.
Apparently, last month the 14 year-old ran a 22:17 5K for cross-country-which is pretty darn close to the 22:11 (on a fast course) that I ran in September. And it came out during our trip to North Carolina that my 23 year-old brother ran a 20:51 5K on no training when he was about 20. By his own admission he is a few pounds heavier these days and he doesn’t love running-at all. Still, he said if he is going to run at Thanksgiving he wants to run fast. As my Dad just signed the three guys up, I am pretty sure the 23 year-old has started training. So what is this??? Stiff competition from my brothers??
It is not fair!! I run. All that time. I like running. I have a running blog. I spend way too much time thinking about running. I hate that they have an advantage b/c they are guys. I mean, I guess I should be glad they run faster than me b/c I want my brothers to be athletic and the general standard for guys is faster than for girls, but, if I am being honest with myself, I would still like to be the fastest. Aren’t I horrible? I feel like I’m not-b/c it’s ok to be competitive, especially w/ siblings-but I feel like I am b/c I want to be faster than my male relatives which means I am hoping they run slower than me which isn’t good b/c they are guys…I guess I hope we all run fast-w/ me just the fastest :) Man, I totally suck…I wish we weren’t related. Then it would be okay for me to want to beat them, right?...well, I honestly wouldn’t care then. I don’t care at all if guys (who I am not related to) beat me. What is it with families??
My leg feels a lot better. It doesn’t hurt when I walk or jog in a straight line, only when I pivot (getting out of my car or kicking a soccer ball for instance.) The whole thing is so strange. I have really wanted to swim recently but the pool’s hours have not been conducive to my schedule AT ALL. I went to the gym today and lifted, foam rolled, and did core stuff. I talked to a cute guy next to the bench press-while I had on a gross old t-shirt, my glasses, my retainer, and I had just unknowingly unracked all the weights he was still using. Awesome. I also went to the orthodontist today and apparently my type A personality pays off in other ways. Because I am so compliant with my treatment-meaning I wear the retainer all the time-I am done with my retainer in 2 more weeks-instead of 2 more months. I'm VERY excited about that.
Posted by Audrey at October 26, 2005 05:22 PM
Comments
I say it's okay to want to beat them--even if they are family. I would draw the line at sabotaging them (telling them the wrong start time, hiding their shoes or food poisoning), but healthy competition is good. I would think that they would want to beat their sister too.
Posted by: ShoreTurtle at October 26, 2005 06:59 PM
I've got to tell you, your writing makes me laugh almost on a daily basis. And as a result of that, I had to share a story. I'm a runner (by no stretch in the league that you guys are but a runner nonetheless) and ran ALL summer, relatively hard. Ran a race with a friend that hadn't run in oh, about 10 years, hadn't trained and she kicked my tail (not to get into the details of her training (nor to provide excuses!)but she's naturally athletic, and while she doesn't run, she works out on a daily basis). Yup, it was more than a bit discouraging!
Posted by: Becca at October 26, 2005 07:13 PM
you better run fast or they will rib you forever! ha ha.
Posted by: brent hopkins at October 27, 2005 12:54 AM
I would say the logical thing to do at the race is to smoke em' all! You've been training hard, just let them know they can't mess with sis!
Posted by: Jack at October 27, 2005 03:09 AM
Hey! There's nothing wrong with a little "all in the family" friendly competition. I hope you do beat brothers and dad b/c 1)you're my friend and 2)girl power rules. :)
Posted by: Leilani at October 27, 2005 08:11 AM
That sounds like so much fun!! My family has done a few races together, sans my brother, but my parents have walked and I've run.
You'll have to be careful about beating all of the boys in your family, they have fragile egos. Back in high school my brother ran track for one season. Our coach used to put us in the same event (the mile) which was run with the boys and girls together. I used to beat him in that, not that I was blazing fast at the time, but he always got cranky about it. It was bad enough that he got beat by a girl, but that it was his own sister made it even worse. You can beat them, but at least make them think that you had to work really really really hard to beat them so that they don't get bruised egos.
Blondie
Posted by: Blondie at October 27, 2005 10:44 AM
I say who cares about their egos?! If anyone in my family even came close to beating me, I'd want to kick their butt (I'd be nice to them after, though) because I know I train much harder than they do. In the last three years, P has hardly trained at all...and yet he's done at least four races, and beaten me at least two out of four times. (And one of the times I beat him, he wasn't really racing.) It's infuriating!
But as long as it's all in good fun, go ahead and be as competitive as you want!
P.S. I was looking at the page stats for eliterunning.com recently and one of the google searches that led someone to this site was "is yogurt a liquid?" And we also get a ton of hits for the search "running shorts."
Posted by: Alison at October 27, 2005 12:01 PM
hey - this is the inspiration you've been needing! Seriously! I can't wait to read about your running in the next few weeks. This is going to be *great* for your running ...
Posted by: jenandmats at October 27, 2005 02:23 PM
you can totally beat K-dog! he's just a little guy! i have faith. but if they DO happen to beat you, just remember they are boys, and therefore have a significant physical advantage, sadly. you still rock. :-) thanks for an awesome visit! i had such a good time and it was so great to see you. maybe i'll move to boston one day...
Posted by: gina at October 27, 2005 06:44 PM