Always Pick the Fun Race

I ran a Women's Half Marathon yesterday. I did the same race last year. Last year it was about 100 degrees in full sun. This year it was about 85 with 100% humidity. Not raining, just oppressive, soul stealing humidity.DOH!

When I signed up for this race a million months ago, the prices were lower than some local 5ks. My thinking was that this race would be a training run. Sure it will be hot, but I'll have to run anyway, so why not have friendly volunteers give me water and get a medal at the end of a training run? That is a fantastic theory.

My running has been more about miles and less about speed  of any sort lately.And I'm enjoying that....when I'm at home. When I'm at a race I get that sense that I should be "racing". I sometimes wonder if I'm a defective runner because I rarely get the "racing" feeling. I like to run. I like to run races because they are a different way to run, but I don't care to much about the racing part most days. Some days, when all the stars align and I feel like I could PR, I might push myself a bit, but most races, not so much.

So here I was at the starting line with two of my friends that I ADORE, but never get too spend enough time with. Our three husbands were also there prepared to run to various viewing points, shouting encouragement and ringing a cowbell. Why would I try to "race" this race in miserable weather, when I could spend it catching up with these two lovely ladies? To me the choice is obvious, always pick the fun race.

When you pick the fun race it doesn't matter what your time is. What matters is that you finish with a smile. I never wan to finish a race saying "I'll never run a ______ again". I always want to finish saying, "it was fun" or "that didn't go as planned, but this funny thing happened". I finished this race with a smile. And I had an amazing cheering squad, and I got to run through sprinklers to cool off my legs, and I danced when I heard music at mile 12, and I got to spend a few hours with two delightful women. I'd say that was a good race.