Celebration

This race was difficult because i just wasnt in the mood but i headed out at 6am to get the party started. The one thing people should know about me is i dont like dark courses. Secondly curvy  routes drive me crazy.
So what happened, it was still dark as i watched other runs get out their cars and stretch. One skinny lost looking soul wondered around bewildered looking for a friend that never came. As he took off in his pickup i thought thats a shame you should have stayed and run anyway.
That's exactly why as i sat in my own car waiting for the sun to rise and freezing to save gas, i knew i had to get it done.  It wasnt long after that a car pulled in beside me. I watched as a woman got out and fumbles through what i assume is her running gear in the back. She looks like someone in my running group but i am blind in the darkness of the morning  and not sure. After watching her for awhile i finally rolled down my window to ask if shes with my group and discover its her. She and another running buddy then convinced me to start early but i was a little nervous about it still being dark. She convinces me to barrow her extra head lamp and i agree. I had one in the back of my car but since she offered it saved me from digging for my own.
We were finally off, I made it less than a mile with before the bad knee decided run/walk is not our thing. We parted with them as the light of day was about an hour away.
I held onto the  lamp tightly because i was not in the mood to put on my head and i dont wear other peoples stuff. It didnt take long before the tandam was out of my eyesight and i began to shine the light on and closely watched every bush, tree and soul passing. I also aimed it at cars too, even the nice houses on the quiet street were not above suspicion
I moved for what seemed like hours before finally making it to the first water stop. Another reason i don't like dark races the water station was two miles in, the lack of sun scrambled my internal mile-o-meter. None the less I started to feel good about doing the half marathon. There were more than a few runners passing me but i was at peace with my own pace.
Dawn had creeped in on me enough to really take a look at the houses in the neighborhood i was going through. One the ugly house on the block reminded me of Draculas' castle. It was brick and sat back off the road not many trees but for some reason its facade was dark. There waa not a good spirit about this place and it wasn't my imagination. Im not surprised the house next to it was for sale i couldn't live next to it. I spead up in case Egor bust out to grab a new victim.
Just after passing Dracs pad I hit the five mile water station the sun was fully out at this point but it was still only in the high fifties and cold.
It was susposed to rain so I wasn't wearing my usaul running shorts. Instead i was sporting neon orange basketball length shorts that were better suited to repel water although i knew they weren't totally water resistant.  The decision turned out to be a big mistake. They kept bunching up on one side making me pull them down every few steps untill i said to heck with it and suffered through the misery.
I was thankful to have been near the halfway mark at that point. Certainly a good thing as I noticed by mile seven my leg with the bad knee was starting to drag. It wasn't hurting yet i was concerned about the noticeable shuffle i developed. Added to these misfortunes was living the horror of the courses twisted roads. I mentioned they drive me crazy and really that is the nice version. I tried singing (my voice peels paint) and day dreaming about tropical paradise to forget the purgatory i was in but nothing helped.
When i started out it was too dark to see how twisty the road was but coming back the never ending curves brought dispair around every bend in the road that didn't see the final bridge. Adding to this predicament I couldn't find my good micro fiber socks that morning so the not so cheap eleven dollar pair i decided to use was called up to the plate. They fell down on the job i think they were only good for one race.They are now shot, my feet were not happy with them.
By mile twelve i had had it. The last mile went easy but my brain  was drained.  I have told myself no boring runs and still i end up on these type courses. All i know is its over and thank the lord.

★★★★★★Update★★★★★★

Received the swag and it was so disappointing.  The back of the medal was smudged i couldn't even shine it clean.The shirt was cheesy and smelled like cigarette smoke and the disposable jacket had a mildew smell to it. They will not get repeat business out of me.I have entered cheaper races and gotten better quality.