We ran a 14km race that was on the same course as the 7km race. Each lap was around a lake that followed a 3.5km trail so 2x was a 7km distance and 14km was 4x around the lake. We all started at the same time. I kept a decent pace and stopped to pee just after the second lap. A woman passed me and I kept pace with her for the majority of the lap. I felt tired. She kept accelerating at the end. I decided that I was done. This was too hot. I was weak. I was finished. There was shame in finishing early, but I couldn't handle running the full 14km. I took a train and canceled plans to see friends to do this race, but still I wanted to quit. I ran through the start/finish line at the end of my 2nd lap as another woman sprinted passed me. It turns out they were both doing the 14km distance.
There was no way I was going to finish the race at 7km if someone (man or woman) passed me so badly while I pathetically meandered to the finish. No, I decided that I would endure another 2 laps around the lap rather than stop and face the humiliation of getting my ass kicked at the finish.
So I kept going. There was no one else around me. I came across several runners that I passed and that was about it. I was tired. I was ready to finish. I drank too much wine the night before. I am too fat. My feet hurt. I had all these stupid excuses.
At the end of lap 3 I got passed. It was the eventual winner cruising in to the finish. I finished the lap and with renewed vigor and strength I kept going. It was my last of the hot, dusty laps. I pushed and made sure that anyone I saw I would pass and no one would pass me. I slowly felt better. The steep drops didn't seem so bad and I floated up the little hills with ease.
I passed a few people who were having a lot of trouble with the heat and then before I knew it I was done. I got my gear and sucked down some water. I got chills and was nervous about heat stroke. I got as hydrated as I could and waited for K to finish.
We had respectable times, I suppose. I wish I could have taken at least 2 minutes off my total. I need to get better at running in hot weather.
I want to thank the women who ran the 7km race. Thank you for making me push hard. Thank you for triggering the deep-seated sexism that I have, the thing that made me keep going and not quit, lest I finish 8 seconds behind a woman. It is true. I was going to quit and the women kept me going.
So here is the question? In this case, was sexism all that bad? I kid, I kid. We all know men are better than women.
Note:
In the U.S. my best training partner ever was a woman (she still is, but I am not in the US). She beat me at every race. The ones we ran together, the ones where there was a bet placed ahead of time, the ones where she basically sprained her ankle just before the race. I whole-hearted admit that she is faster than me. Way faster. And she is a woman.
