Runners Suck!

Don't get your knickers in a tiffy, i really do not hate runners. I am one myself and i could not imagine a world without running. I have spoken on this very blog about the wonderful environment i live in. The one with all the professional runners meandering through flagstaff. This is a true blessing to have these talented men and women using my home as training for their many worldly exploits. Many of them find great success due to their training at high altitude. I take for granted the absolutely wonderful conditions i get to live in and amongst throughout the year.
I am writing this blog because of those very runners i speak so highly about. Let me preface this story a little: Last year, i was ending my senior campaign on the track. It was two weeks after my last race and there was a 5K, the "Run for the Mountain" to be exact. I decided to run it and ran well, and won the race. I ran last week in Denver and won my age group, and got 8th overall in a 5K. Today was the same 5k that i won 365 days ago. I think i could win it again. I sign up, the gun goes off and as we are running the first mile of the race, i am in the top 10 individuals. The 10K and 5K races start together. The differentiation between the racers is the color of their race number, 5K is red, 10K is black. I am glancing over at all the fit gentlemen around me and find that there are some familiar faces. A lot of the local pro runners are running right next to me and they have red numbers! These professionals are running the 5K! There goes my hope for a repeat title. But i end up running my best, i am 28 seconds slower than last year and am the first non-professional runner to finish. Makes me feel good, seeing as though, including the race, i have only run maybe 9 times since mid march.
Overall, i am bitter that the pros were there but it makes me more excited to train to try and beat them next time. It also makes me excited that they are even there even though my repeat title was stripped from me and went to someone who run professionally. It is also a great show and tell of my fitness right now, and i am excited for the rest of the summer to see just how fast i can go.