In running, there are some significant lies and the one that states “competing with yourself, not with others” has the power to amuse me every single time. I mean, be honest… Have you ever participate in a race and didn’t feel a need to overpass somebody or to feel the joy, once you did it? Any honest answer would be a “definitely yes!” And if you are answering honest, then the cliché is more than ridiculous. Anyway, this is not the topic of my post, because the real intention is to talk about a race. Azuga Trail Race from 21st of October 2023, a competition in which I’ve clocked 13 minutes more than in 2022, mostly because the higher heat, I guess, but maybe also because the way in which I have positioned at the start line, place in which I’ve lost, maybe, 5-10 good minutes.
And then, I’ve started “running” on Sorica
Anyway, the last third of the race was more relevant for me, and I needed to find something to talk about, that can bring shade over my counter performance comparing to last year. “This is why we are race drivers, to compete against each other”, I’ve heard Ayrton Senna speaking in a documentary and this statement consolidates what I’ve underlined above. But why I am getting to this over and over? Because, in the given race, there is a massive uphill, called Sorica, and starting kilometer 22 up to the finish line, at 29.55 kilometers, my performance proved a very valuable lesson: you can climb very well only having running cardio background, even if we are talking about 90% plain surface running. This is my case.
27 passed in 8 kilometers
The time for the first 21 kilometers was not great, but neither terrible – ha! – 2:55 hours and something. After some refreshments, apple slices and a glance at Sorica, the climb started. And, during it, I’ve passed runner after runner and I’ve celebrated in the back of my head every achievement. Because I knew I am doing good and I can fight with a huge “monster”, exactly like I’ve did at Piatra Craiului Marathon with “Diana” climb! Now, I don’t know how many contenders I have passed on this almost three kilometer uphill, but at the end of the race, I’ve counted 30 people in total – there were 5.5 more kilometers downhill also – when I crossed the finish line. 30 people surpassed, from which 27 male runners, to be more fair when I put this in writing.
Running is competing with others!
Doing this from Sorica start onward and being overtaken by zero people proved me that I can find always something positive in an apparent weaker race. This is why running is about competing with yourself, but especially with others. At least as a personal state of mind, it doesn’t need to be a outstanding result, you just need to see and acknowledge that you can have better results than others. Not because they are weaker than you, but because you are stronger on some aspects. Now, for me, to be a decent climber, without tack pols also, only by running quite a lot on flat surfaces, proves that always running rewards your spirit, if you deal with it seriously, with what you have at hand!