The Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger

Daniel, Dad, Roland, Otso, and I had a surprisingly stellar performance at this year’s Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger.

As in years past, a motley crew assembled in Croton-on-Hudson, including old acquaintances.   We did some warming up and stretching and a bit of mingling with the others awaiting the start of the race.

Surprisingly few people found it fashionable to sport their new Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger 2011 tee shirts.

I broke to the front immediately upon start.

After about a mile, the serious runners passed me by.   But I kept to my own pace, pushing myself to an average speed of 6:48 minutes per mile, while maintaining an average heart rate of 168 beats per minute, peaking on a steep uphill at 181 beats per minute… beyond the upper bound of the suggested limits for vigorous activity at my age.

At the final uphill stretch, I sensed someone pacing himself behind me, waiting to pounce.  This man, who it turns out is 55 years old, passed me after the long battle to the top of the hill, and gave me a helpful boost of moral support when I needed it most, urging me not to slow down now that we were so close to the finish.  I told him that I was just taking a short break and would see him at the finish.  I got back to within 8 seconds of him by the very end.

Little did I know, but Otso, who I thought I had left in the dust early on, was close on my heels, following about 2 minutes behind at an average speed of 7:10 minutes per mile.  Photographic evidence indicates that he did not break a sweat.

A few minutes back from Otso, Daniel, who had only started running a month before, was putting in a strong performance and putting the young whippersnappers in their place, at 8:19 minutes per mile.

An injured Dad, with the help of a calf bandage by mom, was able to sustain a very respectable 8:31 minutes per mile, running a few minutes behind Daniel, not wishing to re-injure himself.  Roland, who rumor had it had neither given up smoking nor trained for the race, kept pace with gusto.

I finished in 13th place overall out of 243 runners, at 42:27 minutes… first in my age group.

Otso came in 23rd place at 44:31, third in our age group.

Daniel came in 87th place at 51:41.

Dad, with the calf bandage visibly peeling off, finished in 100th place, at 52:54, putting him in third place for his age group.  Roland finished 101st at 52:58.

Three of us won Tuttle’s Homemade apple pies at the Harry Chapin Run Against Hunger and have the home-printed certificates to prove it.

Otso packed his apple pie in a suitcase and returned to Finland the following day.

As you see from my bib number, I was the second person to register for the race.

Lest you surmise that only old farts register early for races….

And lest you surmise that only racing enthusiasts register for races early…

And lest you surmise that only middle-aged farts finish well in races…