the itch

i've been waiting for this to happen for almost a month now. each year at some point between the shamrock shuffle and the first hot day of the year, something grabs me by the marbles and gives me the motivation to get after my new year's resolution and finally get fast on my feet. The first time it happened, I was sucking wind going up the ramps at Memorial Stadium in Chambana. Last year, it was a spontaneous race that left me laying in the Motorola parking lot because i could no longer stand up.

Today it was the hill.

Jason is a former short distance runner for DePaul. He's mega-quick if it's under a half mile. Today we met at a local hill to run some sprints. We do one together which he takes as his warmup. As I had gotten there earlier, I announce that the next one (my 8th, his 2nd) will be my last. Now Jason and I have been running buddies for about 2 years...and we're assholes to each other. We take full advantage of the other's weakness when the opportunity arises. It's easy to tell when he's going to be an asshole to me because there is very distinct sound when he "goes to his toes"...the indicator that he's going full tilt.

I hear it on his first stride up the hill. quoth me, "fuck."

We get halfway through the 25 second sprint and i'm 3 steps behind him (in the hill sprint world, that's a bunch). I let out something between a gasp and a grunt and manage to gain a step. The instant I realize that I gained ground on him, the switch flipped. It was on. I needed to win. The gasp/grunt continued as I caught up to him, unsettling a cyclist, a toddler on a swing set, and several small woodland creatures in the process. When it was all over, I had, for the second time ever, beaten him at a short distance.

I officially have the itch.

in non-running news: the po-po finally caught up to me for my horrible speeding habit. customers continue to be clueless assholes. one of the folks at corporate made me angrier than i've been in a very long time and ruined my month. and yo mama's so fat, you have to grease the door frame and hold a twinkie on the other side just to get her through.