"you look like a runner": in which I race my azz off.....

You will recall that I have not run a race in 18 years.  I ran a lot of races when we lived in Chicago, 5K, 10K, ten miles, 26.2 mile marathons plus a steeple chase once with the wife(cross country, through the mud, over hurdles and into the ponds).  Then I coached HS x-country and track for a bit then didn't get around to racing myself...until Monday!
My best pal Stev0 lives just up the road in the town of Groton, and he and his buddies always run the Labor Day 5K there.  To an elderly athlete like me getting back to racing, 5K is perfect!  I run a 5K every day.  I explained to Stev0 that I only have one speed, ever.  No sprints, no fast drives up or down hills, ten minute miles whether I am going one mile or 26.2 (really!  I am the turtle and slow and steady, um, wins the race...or finishes it anyway).
Stev0 and I were hanging out with some of his other buddies.  I explained to the dude who was admiring my 1990 Chicago marathon tee and he gave me the hugest compliment "YOU LOOK LIKE A RUNNER".  SO, even if I don't run like a runner, at least I look like one.

Anyway, Stev0 and me and these other dudes all make for the back of the starting pack and it is an uphill start and he is going BLAZING FAST.  He asks me how the pace is, and I am like "BRISK".
At each mile is the time, and at each mile I am running exactly.... a 9 minute mile.  Stev0 is very fast (he has done 5K in 22 minutes) and he was ahead of me the whole race.  Until the final 300 yards.  I caught up to him on the track and he is like "we gotta pass that guy ahead of us" (we did NOT) but Stev0 and I blazed around the track together and in....together....he won by a nose in a photo finish....as you will see below....so I did 5k in 27:24, my fastest ever, best as I can recall..... :)
Me and the wife, 1992 Chicago marathon... I wore the same tee yesterday.....
below, me and Stev0...I was starving.....before AND after racing....during?  Not so much.


The leaders at the line...you sure don't see ME up there, my azz was way in back relaxing...
BTW, am I the only guy here wearing the badazz black socks?


I ran with Stev0 in the blue and Ray in the gray to my left....the wife got a lot of GREAT photos didn't she?


Stev0 is very kindly, and I don't know if, once I caught up to him, he slowed down to stay with me or not, but we had a helluva fun finish, nose to nose down the stretch...his nose was longer.....