Don't mess with runners

So I was running another recovery 5 miler today in DC, making a loop around the Mall. It was late afternoon and I was enjoying the sun and the great weather we're getting now in DC.

As I ran to the Lincoln Memorial and made my way back on the kilometre long tree-lined path that runs parallel to that lake, I found myself trailing three female runners, probably in their late 20s, running side-by-side. They were about 50 metres ahead and I was closing in. I was happening to be weaving in and out of a school group (I could gather that from the fact that they all had white T-shirts that said "Washington 2009" on the back.)

I passed the back of the group made up of girls who were taking over the entire path. Their chaperone asked them to move aside for runners, but as I reached those three runners, I saw three boyish hormone fuelled teenaged boys with "Washington 2009" shirts smile as they caught up to the girls to run alongside them.

So picture three women on the left side of the trail, three boys smirking the way boys do when they try to show off. They're blocking the entire running path. I come right up between the two groups, say 'excuse me, can I get through' and the boy parts ways so I can squeeze between the two groups.

I up the pace as I'm passing and one of the boys decides to start running alongside me. .

FLASHBACK: I remember this happened on a really hot day a few days ago when some hotshot teenager decides to 'run' with me.. I wasn't too impressed then


So this afternoon, I'm also not impressed that they were 'picking' on the women runners. Okay, I thought, maybe the boys want to play with this boy.

"Wanna go?" I say out loud as I step up the pace.

All three boys give chase.

And I kid you not, we start running to 10K pace and I've got two boys right on my heels. The shorter one (about my height) to my left quickly falls behind but this other one, on my right, has long legs and is taller than me. We step it up and as we do, I decide to say "I ran a marathon three days ago, what did you do?"

No answer, he's labouring. He wants to beat me bad. And there was no freaking way I was going to let him, even though I'm doing 'recovery running'. We get to the point that we're almost full-out sprinting, although I'm just getting into strider mode, fluid running with quick turnover. The kid is on my heels and we blast out for another 30 metres, and I can literally feel the wind against my body, when he says something like 'I give up' and drops off.

Yes, folks, I beat that kid. I continue running, look back at the two kids now 10 metres behind me, and give a little bow, with my hands splayed out to the sides. . Actually, sorta like this.

Kids. That'll teach them to mess with a runner :) (Actually, I think I felt like I was a teenager for that one minute of bravado, felt like a drag racer)..

5 miles in 43:30