The running of the fish (a personal recap of the 2013 Fishy Four)

A pose before the race

Last Saturday nearly a 1,000 runners and walkers showed up to do “the Fishy Four”, a Chetek tradition now for twenty-five years. For me, it was one of my better “4s”, at least, in recent years. I crossed the line at 34:45, nearly two minutes faster than last year's “4” and just shy of three minutes faster than my 2011 showing. But I won't crow about progress – in 2010, I ran a faster “4” than Saturday's – but you enjoy the moment you're in and try not to fret about earlier times when you were faster (but not too sleeker).

If I have any beef with this race it's that the directors do not do more to encourage walkers to head to the back at the starting line. Once again, at the retort of the gun a gaggle of walkers were in front of runners - well, in front of me - which just added to the brief traffic jam that is par for the course for the first 100 yards of this race. But after that, it's a matter of weaving in and out of traffic until you pass Camp Chetek and start the loop around the island. I knew after Ed, Christine, and a few others and I circled up for a prayer before the race I wouldn't see Ed until race's end. And just as I expected, he ran a strong “4” - his strongest yet – finishing in personal record time of 23:06 and 4^th overall. His two main goals were to PR (he did) and best former teammate and current C-W running phenom Brandon Books (ditto). So, he, too, had a good “4”.

Before...

 

and still smiling after...

My daughter, Christine, had a good “4” as well. Since high school days, the only race Christine really trains for is the Fishy Four and every year she searches for someone to run it with. This year she and one of her best buds, Amy, entered together (but trained separately). They ran together most of the way and enjoyed the camaraderie of working toward a common goal (mainly., to finish). The smile as she crossed the line said it all. Which in a nutshell is what this race is really all about. A truly “fun” run that brings runners and non-runners alike together for a good cause and a shared community experience.

Christine with her little brother afterward

I felt strong out there even though it was fairly warmish and my breathing was a bit labored during the last mile. I finished ahead of some runners this year that usually have my number – specifically Joan Koslofsky and Joan Turner – and I bested a few of the kids who presently run for me. That being said, Coach Tim Borstad from nearby Cameron High School walloped my tail with an impressive 31:30 finish. So, at the end of the day I guess I broke even.

But that's not really true. I had a good race and I enjoyed seeing a bunch of people I care about who share my love of the race – a few of my kids, a few of the kids who used to run for me and some of them who currently do as well as others who I have connected with over the years. Guys like 70-something Ray Coyer who has bested me at a Grandma's Marathon a time or two. I hope I'm still motoring forward when I get to be his age. Or how 'bout Mrs. J who in the 60-64 age category finished first in her age group on one artificial knee? (I really hope her doctor isn't blog savvy). It's people like them that this blog is all about. Not the champions as our society is prone to measure them but the brave and cheerful “also rans” who have fun (more or less) as they put one foot down in front of the other in a forward direction. 

The spoils of war