Run for PR or Run for Fun

Run for PR or Run for Fun? Well, I have thought a lot about this question the past couple of days.  I really want to run a half marathon in less than 2:30.  I almost did it at the Pasadena 1/2 Marathon a couple of weeks ago, but a UTI had me stopping at a few bathrooms along the way and I went over my time by a couple of minutes.

I'm feeling strong and in perfect shape to take a PR at this weekend's San Diego Rock-n-Roll 1/2 Marathon.  But I'm not going to.  The reason - LOVE.

Last year, I ran my first marathon at the Seattle Rock-n-Roll Marathon and my friend Carolyn went with me to help me usher in my 50th birthday.  My knee gave out at the halfway mark and I had to race-walk the rest of the way.  Carolyn race-walked the entire way with me.  I know in my heart that she could have run the rest of the way and set a decent time, but because of her love for me, she stayed with me and we finished together.  I am sure it was a hard sacrifice for her.  But a sacrifice that I greatly appreciate.  I can not imagine having to finish that race in pain and by myself.  

A couple of weeks ago I was all set to race San Diego by myself - just as I did in Pasadena.  Pasadena was great because I didn't have to talk to anyone or look at anyone or think of anyone but me.  How was I feeling? Did I want to run fast, or slow, or fast and then slow, or slow and then fast? I just went with what felt good for me.  And I was expecting to do that again this weekend.  But now, I'm not.  My fabulous husband said he wanted to do the race also.  The race was sold out and I told him not to worry about it.  But he went the extra distance and shelled out for the "premium" package so he could run with me.  He even made hotel reservations so we could make a weekend of it.

Now I was torn.  Now I had to think of someone else when I line up at the start line.  I told my husband, the guy that I have been married to for almost 25 years, the guy I have 3 children with, the guy that works really hard to support all of us, that I will run the entire way with him.  I was going to run with him because I felt like I had to, that I needed to, that I owed it to him.

"No, you don't have to," he said.  "I may have to walk part of the way.  So you run, and I'll just find you at the end"

I am not running San Diego for a PR.  This weekend I am running San Diego for Love.  And I want to thank my friend who sacrificed her run to help me finish.  I learned a lot from my friend that day. I haven't even started this weekend's race and already I know that the only way I want to finish it is holding my husband's hand, the way my friend Carolyn held mine when I hobbled over that finish line.  And not because I feel like I owe it to him, it's because when it all pans out, my PR (personal reasons) are way more important than my race PR (personal results).  I pick LOVE. 

Hey, and you never know, the way my guy has been training, I may have to run my butt off to stay up with him and he may have to forgo his PR to cross the line with me.  What could be better than combining Personal Reasons with Personal Results. 

This weekend, as we have in our entire married life, we are crossing the finish line together.

PS....Next weekend, at the Redondo Triathlon...well, Sweetie, you are on your own.....