October is the best running month of the year. The temperatures are cool, the air is dry, the scenery is changing and there are some truly great races. October has the Tulsa Zoo Run 10K, the Woolaroc 8K, and the 15K Tulsa Run.

Last Saturday I ran the Zoo Run. It winds around Tulsa’s Mohawk Park in a double loop and the last 2 K are in the Zoo. I love it. As usual there were lots of people there. I don’t know the numbers but they said it was the 6th largest in Oklahoma. They have a 1 mile fun run, a 5K, and a 10K. I would guess a few hundred people run the 10K. Here they are:

I tell people that I run “my own race.” That is because I’m so slow that I’m not in everybody elses race. This year I thought things would be different.

As usual I fell behind early but I kept chugging on, running my own race. The woods were pretty and the sun was nice and I fell into my usual running trance, totally in the moment, warm sun and cool breeze on the face, rhythmic breathing, the wind and the, pat, pat, pat of my fellow runners going along. I start at the back and kind of move up in front of people at first, and then find a group to keep with. Sometimes I can do multiple kilometer splits within a second.

Yesterday, I got a little winded and started falling back at about the 7th kilometer. I kept laboring on. Sometimes I stop and take pictures but that totally wrecks the dream I’m having.

At about 9 kilometers I got my energy back and picked up the pace. I was looking ahead for a runner to target to beat and I saw these two old ladies way ahead of me. They were both over 70 and they weren’t going too fast.

Aha, I can beat them at the finish I thought so I summoned up a “kick.” Off I went. Things were going good I thought I would catch them about 10 yards from the finish. I mean you have to look good at the finish don’t you, even if it is just a couple of grandma’s you are beating. Right? Oh cmon.

Anyway, things were going good but I think they heard footsteps and they had a kick of their own. I gave it my all but I fell short. You know the only thing worse than passing a couple of grandmother’s at the finish line is not passing them at the finish line.

I did feel sorry for them though. They were exhausted. They just fell to the ground. Boy did I feel bad.

I went up to apologize to them and make friends but they were not having any of it.

I did get a picture of them though:

Bring it on girls, I’m kicking your butts next year!