Where does your motivation come from? And catching up on races in California

I can't believe that it has been a month since my last post. There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't read, see or do something that I think I should include in a future blog post. For some reason I struggle with simply sitting down and doing it. I don't know if I mentioned in a previous post or not that I follow a lot of runners and running events on Twitter and as a result it is fun to read about successes as well as misses. Many of the professional and college runners are very candid about what did or didn't happen in a race. The cool thing about Twitter is that I get results in real time. Reading other runners' blogs is also motivating to me as a runner because when there are periods when I struggle with the reason that I run I am reminded that everyone struggles from time to time but that the rewards far outweigh any negatives.

When I mentioned in a previous post that I needed to set goals for my 2014 racing I still wasn't sure what they would be but they have become more clear. Basically there are only two. First is to race more often but to do more shorter races, I don't recover as quickly from the half marathons and longer any more and since I enjoy the whole race atmosphere it just makes sense that if I want to do more racing then they have to be shorter races. Second is continuing the goal of running in places that have a meaning either to me or to the sport of running. For example I'm entered in the Eugene Half Marathon in July and next month I'm entered in a 5K at Mt. SAC.

I've raced each of the past four weekends and I'm currently scheduled to race each of the next six for ten in a row.

Here are some pictures from the races. The first is the Almond Blossom where I ran the mile. It is my second year running it and it is the first race of the Shadowchase Running Club Grand Prix. It seemed mean sending pictures of the beautiful blossoms when everyone else was still dealing with ice, cold and snow. I was 3rd in my age group and, "the medal is in the mail".

So far there have been three weekends in March and I ran an 8K in San Jose, a 5K in Oakdale and a trail 5K in Livermore. They've all been fun. There were over 5500 runners in the 8K, so many that we were started in waves. Although the weather was cool, windy and drizzly, it was a good experience. One of the highlights was stopping during the race to stop and thank a WWII vet for his service. When I stopped he said, "Hey old timer". That sure put things in perspective as far as my own years as a runner and a veteran. The flood of runners who stopped to shake his hands actually made the national news. It was a great experience to be a part of. I rolled my foot really bad at about the mile mark, the same foot that the horse stepped on and it is still bothering me. In the big picture though I am truly Blessed to be a runner.

Race started in front of the Sons of San Jose Vietnam Memorial

95 Year Old World War Two Veteran - Cheering the runners and receiving thanks for his service!

The following weekend I had a choice between a one mile or a 5K and I chose the 5K because I need to be ready for a 20K with my son in law next weekend. The race was in Oakdale and was a nice community event. I had a funny encounter before the race. A guy watching asked if I was, "Warming up for the big one". I jokingly grabbed my heart and said, "Hopefully not the big one". Everyone around laughed and he said, "Poor choice of words". It was another reason I enjoy the whole race environment. I finished 2nd in my age group.

The prior two races are where I started wearing the Team RWB gear. It is a good organization that supports veterans. Team Red, White and Blue!

My fourth race in the scheduled slate of 10 was a trail 5K put on by Brazen Racing. They put on first class events no matter where they are held. The race was hilly and on a lot of gravel footing but it was in a beautiful locale. I was second in my age group again. The guy with me in the picture is a real motivation for me; he is Joe Lobianco and he is 85 years old. He runs almost every weekend often running on both Saturday and Sunday as well as Monday on holiday weekends. He didn't start running until he was 75 years old.

The race director's advice before the start of this one was, "Take your time, enjoy the course, get your money's worth". While it may sound funny, it is pretty much a truism if you are doing a Brazen race.

While I get my inspiration and motivation from other runners, I continue to never be disappointed when looking for inspiration from books by and about runners. Here are some that I've read recently.

One final thought for this post. I was reading the most recent issue of "Marathon & Beyond" and there was a story about the late Jack Foster who seemed to continue to amaze people with his running the older he got. I read this quote and really liked it because it makes so much sense.

       "The drop-off in racing performances with age manifests itself only on timekeepers' watches. The running action, the breathing and other experiences of racing, all feel the same. Only the watch shows otherwise".

That seems like a good way to end this post.