Flannagan's Run

Starting Line!

It was a cold morning, the temp at my house was a balmy 15⁰, but at least it wasn’t snowing. I ate pizza last night so my carbs were loaded. Ok, I know for a 5 mile run carbo loading isn’t needed. But hey, any justification for pizza.

I tried to loosen up and get ready. But mornings for me, they really aren’t my friend. I didn’t take my torsemide, last thing I needed was to need to pee mid-way through. My house is next door to the glacier so it tends to be one of the colder places to be. Luckily the race was in Douglas, one of the warmer, so it was 31⁰. Even better fortune, there was no wind!

The last time I ran this race 4 years ago it was a third up hill and a third down. With the fresh snow fall yesterday, I was really nervous. They changed the course this year, whether because of the fresh snowfall or something else I don’t know. I can say at first I was happy.

I walked several laps around the block to warm up. I can’t say it worked terrible well. But I wasn’t frozen either. So it worked some.



Got my toe up to the back of the pack and started off. I ran down the street and back toward the beach, still no wind thankfully. Back into the woods, down the trail and up the hill. Three loops through the woods up the hill. Then back to the finish line. I ran, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t fast. But I ran. I started dead last, it was a choice. I passed a girl on the hill and stayed ahead, so I wasn’t dead last anymore.

Funny thing happened as I closed on the finish line. That girl I passed was walking with her buddy ahead of me. She must have skipped the third time up the hill. They would sprint up ahead every time I closed in. Her friend was so very high school about it too, snarky looks and whispering best left behind in middle school. They did beat me by a few seconds. I wouldn’t have cared but the attitude annoyed me, so did the cheating.

I realize this isn’t a big “race” and she was only cheating herself. Blah, blah, blah. In all honesty they were half my age they should have beat me. I was pretty sure I was going to come in last before I got there. After all it is a snowy winter day, not a race most newbies would show up for. But to be beaten like that? Childish and cheating? Ugh!

But I finished, I did it. I ran! There are those who asked why the 5 mile run when there was a 1 mile option? Because cancer is an endurance race not a sprint. My sister doesn’t get to say, I only feel like fighting a miles worth. She and others like her are in for the long haul, they don’t get to turn back and walk home. DNF is acceptable. So even if I walk, collapse or crawl. I cannot quit. I will not quit.