I have never been a fast runner. I starting running seriously in high school after joining the cross country team. Cross country races are 5 kilometer races held on courses that, well, cross some country (or in very small countries, all the way across). I loved the training and the racing, but was never good at it. And when I mean not good, I mean not even close to good.
The way the races worked was the top seven finishers from the previous race were on the varsity team for the next race, the next seven junior varsity, and the remaining runners were “open”.
I always raced open. Every year. And in the open class I was rarely close to the cut off for junior varsity.
I’m 53 now and still (mostly) run. I’ve had long breaks from running due to injuries and to make room for life, but I’ve always considered myself a runner. Albeit, a slow one.
Lately I’ve been on an upswing in my running. All the “prehab” exercises and stretching have kept me healthy and running pain free. For that reason I am grateful. I am also grateful that I got to experience running as a young person: using my healthy young body to do something that I loved to do. In high school I always wanted to be faster and was even kind of embarrassed for being so mediocre at running. I often thought about quitting, but am glad I never did.
The famous skateboarder Tony Hawk was quoted recently, saying that at 58 “every ollie [the core trick in skateboarding] is a gift”. I feel the same way: now each run is a gift.