I wonder if I would have been as unlikely an athlete as I am had I been born at a different time? Title IX has created a world of opportunity for women and girls. I just missed that train.
But I just caught a later train!
Just before Christmas I entered a 5K road race at the last minute. I’m never sure on any given day if I really feel like being part of a road race. Truth be told, I don’t like all the preamble and pre-race energy. I’m all about the beer or banana at the end though! But a few of my famous running group, “The Fish Chicks” were running it and assured me a low key good time. I paid my entry fee and lined up with the 500 others to run through Salem, Massachusetts
Now I always love to run in Salem, a most interesting town given it’s infamous history. And even today, 2015, you are likely to see someone who insists they are a witch and their great great great great great grandmother was burned at the stake. Whew! Talk about baggage.
So I chugged along the streets of Salem and felt pretty good. In fact, I was feeling damn good although I had lost sight of the Chicks when the starting gun went off. I was in my own head and loving the day.
I crossed the finish line and ambled over to the board where the race results were posted. I didn’t want to seem anxious so I assumed a cool, could care less attitude, and looked up my name and placing within my new age group. Okay, this past birthday I had one of those years with a 0 and they are never good.
I was having trouble reading the results without my reading glasses. Damn! Why do they print this stuff so small?
And there it was….. Wendy Booker “4th out of 5” runners in my age group!
I felt dejected. I felt worthless. Here I ran a good race. I even ran harder than I am usually comfortable with. I ran fast! I don’t remember too many runners passing me and I certainly didn’t remember any old ladies flying past. God, I am so slow. Oh well.
That night I received a text from my running buddy Pixie. “You came in first!” I had no idea what she was talking about. I called her. “You came in first in your age group by over three minutes!” What was she talking about?
“They had you registered as a male runner!”
I learned a big lesson that day. Don’t ever underestimate your capabilities. Don’t ever think you are too old, too young, too slow. Don’t let life pass you by. Grab it by the tail, take a bite from that proverbial apple and see what happens! You will always be amazed!
Yeah, maybe I run like a girl that’s not important. What is important is that I run like a girl with Multiple Sclerosis! And we can do anything we want…it’s all a matter of choice. Come run with me!
Climb On!
- Wendy
Wendy Booker
Author, Speaker, and Life Adventurer
