I came in last again last night. It’s not that I really care that much but it’s no fun when you are so far back that you’re all alone wondering if the rest of the people are even bothering to stick around and see if you make it back alive. Sure, I beat the guy with the wrapped knees just coming back from surgery, but he doesn’t really count. He is mid-seventies easy and in a totally different age group. Not that I noticed.
Actually, there are no age groups here. These are the Nelson Striders Off Road Summer Series races. There were originally three races on the schedule but last night we voted to extend to a fourth – a run straight up something called The Grampians – yes, it is described by the locals as “straight up” – can’t wait.
Oops, did I say that out loud? Sorry about that. Let me start over. What I meant to say was, “How great it is to be able to come in “towards the back of the pack”, to be out here running single track, with sheep all around, breathing in the cool, crisp, sea air, as the sun starts to set, along a high ridgeline that over looks the bay!” Much better. Now, if I can just catch my breath.
When I came over the final hill and dropped back down to the finish area I found everyone waiting around to make sure that all the runners and walkers are accounted for. These people take care of their own over here. There’s no finishing the race and taking off to do something else, nope not even considered, here running with others is what we are doing; there is nowhere else to be from 6-7p on a Tuesday evening.
I can’t tell you how nice it is to hang out with these folks. They are all runners: upbeat, positive, supportive, part of a community. Many have been running together three to four times per week for over twenty years and they make ever effort to have new comers like me feel just as at home as they all do.
No wonder I am actually looking forward to next week and finishing “towards the back” when we run straight up the mountain, for an hour, on a random Tuesday, in the center of New Zealand…
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