Do you remember that t-shirt brand that was popular in the mid 90's "No Fear". Each shirt had a different sports themed slogan about winning and playing with NO FEAR. Well, the company hit the height of its popularity when I was in middle school and I LOVED it. I had several different shirts, but my absolute favorite (my Dad can vouch for this) was the one that simply said:
SECOND PLACE IS THE FIRST LOSER.
NO FEAR!
This pretty much sums up how I feel about all competition. Seriously. It doesn't matter whether it is soccer, or baseball or tic tac toe...I want to win. So keeping that little tidbit of personal information in mind, let me tell you a little story..............
Once upon a time, in a land far far away from anything remotely resembling civilization, there lived a girl. This girl was a good, nice girl. She loved her husband and followed him to this place, she loved her children beyond measure, she even shared the bed with her dogs.
One day, this girl got the hair-brained idea to train and run further than she had ever dreamed of. This girl liked the challenge. So as soon as the doctors gave her clearance (she had just given birth and had suffered some medical issues post partum), she began her journey. She ran. And ran. And ran.
The weather began getting cooler. The holidays began creeping up. As Thanksgiving approached some of this girl's friends suggested they all participate in the local Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning. She agreed.
The morning of the "Trot" arrived and the girl logged on to the Internet to check the weather.
3 degrees.
That is what the computer told her. It was 3 degrees, and that didn't include the wind chill which was well below zero. Immediately, the girl wanted to turn around and go back to bed...but she didn't. No, she dutifully put on all the warm clothes she could find and went to the race.
It was miserably cold. The race didn't exactly start on time (not that that mattered too much) and by the time it did the poor girl's feet were frozen. They felt like clubs crudely stapled to her ankles.
All of the girl's grandiose ideas of finishing under the 30 minute mark froze along with the snot on her face. She kept moving. People passed her. Her friends were so far ahead, she couldn't even see them. Suddenly it occurred to this poor, frozen, nice girl to look behind her.
Gulp. One person. One. Just one rather portly person trudged behind our wayward heroin. She tried desperately to pick up the pace. Her body barely responded to the plea for speed. Thankfully the finish line came into view.
35:31. Second to LAST. 20 or so seconds ahead of the jolly jogger bringing up the rear.
Relief, frustration, and a small measure of shame washed over her. Bleck. Not the way she had envisioned this little event. The girl went home. Disappointed and...just disappointed. She thawed out, took a shower, and blogged about it.
The only solace she could muster was...well, technically, it could have been worse. I could have been dead last.
The next local race is on December 21. A "Jingle Bells" run. The girl went and hung the flyer on the fridge and vowed to work harder and faster. Our heroin may never win, but she sure as heck isn't coming in last or second to last EVER AGAIN.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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