I have never been in a ‘corral’ for a Run. This was my first time.
This was the place where the slower runners were positioned for many reasons, I guess mainly to keep us out of the way of those who would speed past us, and therefore avoiding a traffic jam.
By the way, there is no Corral #9.
Since it was my first time in a Corral, it was quite exciting to see and hear each Corral brought to the Starting Line, and then dispatched.
It was an emotional time for me, but then, since I had started running about a year and a half before this morning, it had been a very emotional ‘thing’ many times. Often there were moments on the Treadmill (Dreadmill), or in the neighborhood, and in some of the Events I had entered, there would be a rush of such emotion, I would begin to sob, and tears would come … and it was this expression of pure joy that I had already experienced a number of times this morning.
And then … we were finally brought to the Starting Line … Corral 8 finally arrived at the Launch Pad.
I felt like an Apollo Rocket ready to break free from the confines of the Earth’s gravity. It was show time!
And then over the loud speakers came a song from the past. One whose Lyrics were so full of meaning to me … a 64 year old … ex-smoker … 1238 days after a Triple By Pass Surgery … 82 pounds lighter …
obviously ‘out of place’ at a Marathon Event … and the bawling started again …
Bob Seger began to sing …
” Just take those old records off the shelf
I’ll sit and listen to ’em by myself
Today’s music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll
Don’t try to take me to a disco
You’ll never even get me out on the floor
In ten minutes I’ll be late for the door
I like that old time rock’n’ roll
Still like that old time rock’n’ roll
That kind of music just soothes the soul
I reminisce about the days of old
With that old time rock ‘n’ roll …”
Very few of the songs played up that point were familiar to me, although I notice my ‘pacers’ were singing along with most of the thumping lyrics, but then, I am at least a generation older than they. I am not sure they would even know about old ‘black and white’, analog stuff like AM Radio, LP Albums, or even 8 track tapes.
But there, at the Starting Line, and just for me, was Bob Seger belting out the old mans Old Time Rock and Roll ANTHEM.
Yeah, I started that sobbing again, and wiping tears … again … and it wasn’t the last time.
Fortunately, I was wearing old cotton gloves to protect my fingers from the freezing temperature, and I was able to wipe the tears away as if it were sweat, and no one noticed.
I ran my fastest Half Marathon time that day because every time I starting the sobbing, I had to wipe tears too, and to do that while no one saw this, I had to run ahead of my ‘pacers’, and to appear ‘OK’ to any on lookers …
To the best of my knowledge, I was 100% successful in the ‘cover up’.
( You could say, I ‘wiped out’ that problem … [rimshot])
I have been told by other Runners that they also have had this same manifestation during running events. It doesn’t seem to be that ‘odd’ of an occurrence.
I had registered for this Half Marathon ten months earlier. I had practiced running that distance 17 times before this day. Between my first Half Marathon time and this one, I improved my time by 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
I’m happy with that.
I am signing up for The Cowtown Marathon 2020 as soon as Registration opens.
One MAJOR change for next year is that I am also running Saturday morning in the Adult 5K with, so far, three friends. We may actually be walking part of the time, but we are going to DO the 5K.
I am excited.
Oh yeah … I will advise the folks DOing the 5K to bring cotton gloves …. they are great for ‘wiping sweat’ (wink wink).
( que up Bob here, and turn it UP!)
oldmanskinandbones.com aka ‘Marathon Runner’
#areyouok #doyouneedasaltpill #doweneedanurse #mypacersarenurses #believemeIamfine #yesIamcryingbutIamHAPPY #waittillnextyear #Ilost82poundswithoutexercise #wfpbno #itisthefood #eatplants #chinning #mcrc #todaysmusicaintgotthesamesoul #itsstillrockandrolltome
“… Call me a relic, call me what you will
Say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill
Today’ music ain’t got the same soul
I like that old time rock ‘n’ roll …”
PS … The only question about The Cowtown Marathon 2020, is will I sign up for the Full Marathon … … I mean …. I have already done the Half….
PS PS … or the ‘Ultra’ ?
( … now the Lyrics ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ by Bachman-Turner Overdrive are running through my head …)
