Fear the Turtle!

Today the Towpath Turtles ran the Natatorium 5k.  This is a fun course, fast and flat.  Of course, if you've read my previous post, you know that by "fun" I mean that you feel great when you are stuffing your face after the race.  If you are "having fun" while actually running a 5k, then you aren't running hard enough!

I wasn't at this race today, but I have been cheering on my Turtle peeps by sending them good running vibes.  Of course, I am also stalking their facebook pages to get the results.  It looks like the Turtles represented in the Nat!

Congratulations to Shelby!

Way to go, Kathy!

The motto on our club shirt says, "Fear the Turtle," and I really like it because deep down I would love to believe that there is SOMEBODY who comes to the race, sees us, and thinks, "Oh crap.  The Turtles are here.  There goes my place in my age group."  Of course, that is a horrible thought, and I guarantee you that nobody else in the Turtles thinks that way; I am the token meanie.   A more appropriate slogan might be, "Be Inspired by the Turtle."  I ABSOLUTELY hope that there are people at the races or on the road who look at us and think, "Wow, if they can do this, maybe I can."

Do you think you are too old to run?  We've got mothers, fathers, and grandmothers of all ages running with the Turtles, and they are having a ball.

Do you think you don't have the body of a runner?  What is that anyway?  Many of the Turtles don't look the way we envision runners, but I assure you that we ARE runners.

Do you worry that you are the one person in the world that won't be able to experience the fun of running and the thrill of a runner's high because you aren't worthy, aren't capable, or just CAN'T?  No?  Good.  I'm sure it's just me.  The Towpath Turtles helped me to overcome that kind of negativity.  Besides, you can't NOT have fun in the middle of the long run.  The goofiness has to emerge at some point.  We've had our fair share of weirdness on the Towpath; it takes the form of top-of-your-lungs singing, train-whistling through tunnels (guilty), acrobatics and surprising stunts, and REALLY dorky jokes.

Do you think you wouldn't do well in a running club?  You might surprise yourself.

Believe me, these Turtles are worthy of emulation.  A healthy dose of fear certainly wouldn't hurt our egos, though!