After eight straight days of rain, summer officially arrived and it went from wet & mild to HOT the moment June 21st rolled around. It was a welcomed blessing for several areas flooded by swollen creeks, rivers and lakes.

L & I had planned a weekend camping trip to Lake Erie and East Harbor State Park a few weeks before and she was getting more frustrated as the weekend drew closer with no relief from the rain expected. Luckily, two days before were to leave the forecast gods made sure the Book of Genesis prophecy was put to rest and scrapped plans for construction of Ark II. We squeezed in a run before we drove north and, of course, I slipped on the last remnant of mud left on our street from the previous week's persistent sky vomit on an otherwise clear, hot, humid and dry day.

Attempting to be cool about it, I popped right back up and continue on. The SUV turning the same direction next to me, who witnessed my near face plant fiasco, asked if I was okay as he rolled by. I motion behind me and through a frustrated smile force out a facetious, "I think there's some mud back there?"

Out of the corner of my eye I see him shake his head in agreement, "Oh yeah, I've done that too." Good, at least I only looked sort of foolish. The next three miles were painful as my knees, elbows, forearms and wrists ached. So I started summer 2019 with road rash & bruises, not to mention the resistance band I use for strength training (the one I found in the basement of my old apartment) snapped in half. Luckily, it didn't smack the bejesus out of me like the giant rubber band it is - so I have reverted to the free weights some former neighbors were going to throw in the trash before I rescued them years ago. With that said, along with oncoming scars, July would be filled with shorter, fast races. These would include the Freedom 4 Miler on July 4th morning (a race I ran two years ago), the Diabetes Dash 5K on July 7th (a race hosted by a CRC Westerville Teammate) and the CRC Mile Dash as my quest for a sub-5:00 mile continues.

At the Freedom 4 Miler two years ago I finished 17th on an 84 degree morning and, funny as it may be, this took place the day after I met L and we went out for the first time. This is how the race is described: Join us for this holiday family favorite event! The Freedom 4 Miler coincides with the two day Olentangy Summer Bash. Bring the whole family and run or walk the 4 mile race or kids run, on July 4th, then stick around for the parade! The race benefits Honor Flight Columbus and winds through the neighborhood surrounding Olentangy Orange High School with the start & finish taking place inside Orange's Pioneer Stadium.

We were lucky enough to have an overcast sky with a dense fog to protect us from the overbearing sun for the entire length of the race, but we still had 100% humidity. Also, we had to endure the local FOX affiliate do a quick segment for their morning show before starting. The dude choreographed the entire thing, but I was annoyed. He was just doing his job and yes, it isn't all about me - I get it, but don't mess with my race day mojo. Oh, and this dude had way to much energy for someone running around in skinny jeans and screaming at the camera without the benefit of alcoholic beverages.

From the outset a few college and high school kids took off like it was a sprint. I attempted to say within myself and hang back a bit with the high schoolers who were less adamant about beating everyone. A CRC Elite Member Jack Schlabig drifts by and the group of high schoolers begins to fan out with a handful of college age runners continuing to outrun the world.

The high school group I'm running with are way to chatty for my taste. One of them seems to alert to everyone (continuously) that those in the lead, who continue to get further and further away, don't know this isn't a mile or two mile race. Another yells every so often to onlookers to say, "Hi". At mile one I'm at 5:33, not too fast and the mostly downhill stretch of the course is a big help.

The group thins out and the talky-talkerson has fallen back, much to my delight. I'm tagging behind three teens whom I expect to drift away from soon as we navigate a winding residential area with a bit of an incline. Mile two comes in at 6:05 and two of the high schoolers have moved ahead. I'm trailing just behind the third teen and right around the mile three marker he, too, begins to distance himself. Mile three is 6:03 and the final mile is at a slight decline.

I have been able to hear folks cheer for a dude behind me along the way, but I can't tell how far back he is and I haven't had an opportunity to glance. Though, I am proud at this point that I haven't been passed. I pick it up a bit and realize I'm not going to catch the kid in front me as we wind back onto the school's campus. Around the middle school to the high school and into Pioneer Stadium, I glance to my left just enough to see I have a decent lead on my trailer, but I need to pick it up.

The final 100 meters is on the track in front of the stands in opposite direction of what would be a standard 100 meters. I surprised myself by putting in more of kick than I'm used to, which more than likely came from noticing the clock and seeing I'm near a four mile PR. I wasn't passed and stopped my watch at the line at 23:39. Though, the official race time had me at 23:40 which technically equals my four mile PR. Still, I will accept my watch time. My last mile was 5:54 and I finished 11th overall. The ages of the top ten: 20, 21, 26, 16, 18, 17, 17, 18, 17, 16 - they were followed by myself (43) and the dude behind me (46). It seems the older I get, the faster the younger folks get - but they aren't completely running away.

By the time we left the fog had burned off, the clouds were gone and it was blue sky with full Independence Day sun. At home, L and I stopped at Fresh Start Cafe & Bakery for PR pastries before our own backyard cookout and finished the day at a neighbor's backyard soiree.