Monday, October 21, 2013

Be Careful Playing Age Card

On Friday morning last week we had a company formation run.

These runs suck.  Nearly 100 soldiers run two miles at a pace we can stay together.  That usually means 11-minute miles and trying to keeping from tripping over the soldier in front of me.

Before this company run a drug and alcohol counselor led us in rah-rah anti-drug cheers.  When he said Army, we said, Drug Free.

Then he said he was going to run with us and call some special cadence.  He did, for a few hundred yards, then sergeants from our unit took over, then he called for a few minutes near the end.  The run took 26 minutes:  13-minute miles!!

When we were back on the parade field, the drug counselor led us in a few more cheers.  His jacket was off.   He was sweating.  This painfully slow run was clearly a big effort for him.

Then he said to all of us, "I'm 60 years old and I can still do this!"  I was in the back row of the formation.  There was some laughter around me.  He didn't know there was a 60-year-old in the formation who  runs two miles at a 7:30 pace. 

I am very careful not to say I am good for my age.  There is always somebody better.



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