John Samra Memorial 5K

Two years ago, I achieved a personal record at this Clifton race. With the colder weather approaching and my body getting worn out from two months of speed training, this was my last real chance to set a new PR and beat that 18:30 from 2009.
The weather was ideal - cool, no humidity, brisk. I made my bold decision to plant myself in the front of the pack and shot out of the gate at the word "Go." I felt like a fireball as the pack thinned along Colfax Avenue and by the time we made the left turn onto Clifton Avenue, I secured a spot in third place.

Pushing hard up the hill as I crossed Paulison Avenue, I had the second place runner in sight and I knew I would overtake him. I could already see him losing steam in the second mile. Turning through the side streets, I made my move and took hold in second place, never looking back.

Back on Clifton Avenue, I bounded down that same hill and worked my way toward Van Houten Avenue. And when I say "worked," I mean it. The police officers on the sidelines could see my determination and the extra effort I was expending, many of them urging me on, giving me encouragement.

I could not determine if I was in PR range but I thought for sure I was in sub-19 territory, so it caught me off guard as I pushed it to the limit around the last turn into the municipal complex and saw the clock already hitting the 19-minute mark. All I could do at that point was try and stanch the hemorrhaging seconds by continuing to give everything I had, ending up with a respectable but underwhelming 19:10.

But hey, second place overall? A quality run? Who can complain?

To shake off the disappointment, I decided to run the course again, this time at a comfortable pace. Sunday was my long run day, so I was planning on running extra after the race anyway. I enjoyed passing the same cops on the sidelines as they asked in disbelief, "Are you running it AGAIN?" When I finished the second time around, I felt good. But that feeling wouldn't last.

For the second race in a row, I came in second overall and was completely overlooked during the awards ceremony. While standing in disbelief and feeling insulted that I would be neglected again, I actually figured out why it happened. The scoring systems automatically separate out the top three overall, expecting that the organizers will give awards to them. The age group awards then start from the fourth place finisher. At both of those races, they only planned on giving an award to the overall winner and then age group prizes starting with second place. But since the standing sheets already removed the top three from the age group list, the third place finishers and I were counted out!

After a couple of weeks of calls with the Clifton PBA, they finally dropped off my medal at my home. They gave me first place in my age group (just as the Cheshire Home 5K directors did). While that is very nice, I feel cheated because, in both cases, someone else also has the same award. Again, I hate to complain, but I should have a second place overall medal. And maybe the people who have awards they do not deserve should be honest and give them up.

I know it sounds bitchy or petty, but the truth is that I am a regular guy that works really hard training for these races, so if I can manage to pull some hardware, fair and square, the award means a great deal to me.