Is that how distance runners get their thrills?
I raced a 5k on Sunday. Pre-race I had talked myself into slowing the pace down to just get a feel for what it would be like to run with people around- like it will be in the marathon. I was even prepared to run my slowest timed 5k ever.

"Ready. Set. GO!" I sauntered off the starting line somewhere near the middle of the pack content to let the leaders leave me far behind. Not real content though. I slowly picked up the pace as we cruised along. I was picking off people left and right until I moved into some open space. The leaders were out of sight on the windy roads, but I had found a more suitable, not to mention more familiar and eventually more physically painful, pace and so I focused in on the back of an older gentleman in a white jersey. I noticed that he looked at his watch as we crossed the mile. I thought I might just speed up and ask him what we ran, figuring I could add 5 or 6 seconds to his time. The move proved a difficult one. Actually, it didn't really materialize at all and near mile two I had lost a few seconds on the fellow.

About that time, a club runner came up on my shoulder intent on passing me. Still feeling relatively strong, I was just as intent on not letting him pass. He surged up into my peripheral vision and I surged forward. He let up slightly and I let up slightly. He surged again, not into my vision, but I could hear him. So I surged again. This time I didn't stop my surge until he was out of earshot. I never looked back, but the next time I looked up I was near the man in white. As we neared "Heartbreak Hill" I overtook the gentleman. And then the heartbreak began. I slowed and he passed me. Inside my head it sounded like a convention for losers "I don't care if he beats me. I don't care if everybody beats me. Who cares?" My pace slowed accordingly. White jersey man began to pull away, when some positive thinking kicked in. "I CARE. LET'S GO." I charged up the hill after the man. I passed him again and again I slowed.

As we crested the hill there were 300 meters left. White jersey man was closing on me again. My legs were slowing. I dug down once more and got my legs moving as fast as I thought they could go for 40 more seconds. I didn't catch the next guy, but I pulled away from my rival for the day.

I'd improved on my previous 5k time because of those two guys, my training, and perhaps because of a slower start.

5k's are familiar territory, though. I've got a lot to learn before the marathon. Like patience.