My Award For Completing the Trifecta

How do you celebrate the completion of a Trifecta? Heather, An awesome runner in her own right (can you say trophy-envy...) wanted to know. Funny you should ask. Ordinarily I don’t get too excited about my race results, even the PR’s. I usually walk home in utter euphoria, veg out in front of the computer, anxiously wait for my time to become official, then proceed to update my PR List and think of the most entertaining way to recapture the experience on my race report. This time, however, was entirely different. You see, this feat of mine, the completion of the Roadrace Trifecta, wasn’t something I dreamt up at the spur of the moment after I crossed the finish line. Rather it was something I had set out to do a long time before, ever since last summer when one of my friends inadvertently challenged me by asking if I considered myself a runner or a marathoner. I didn’t have a good answer for him at the time but as the summer wore on, I realized that I really wanted to be a versatile runner, good in all distances. And that, truth be told, was the origin of the Trifecta challenge.

Since in my book, versatility was synonymous was good, I was careful not to acknowledge or believe that I was any good at this running thing until after I had completed what I had set out to do. I know I’ve been flamed and defamed many times over the past several months for refusing to believe that I’m a fast runner, but I can’t help it. I’m adamant in my beliefs not because I’m trying to be humble or play some reverse psychological warfare game with my audience, but I really didn’t think my credentials are adequate to support that sentiment. (With sincere apologies to those who still desperately want to label me as such, please review my previous post to see why your claims are not justified).

But after I crossed the finish line on Saturday, I, in essence have graduated. My trifecta was complete. I have in my mind attained the status of a good (but not fast!) runner. As such, I felt I needed to get something to commemorate my achievement. Although it would have been nice if NYRR could’ve provided a trophy, plaque, or even a certificate to acknowledge this momentous occasion, I really had no grandiose perception that anything I do would be just cause for a public celebration. Still, I felt I needed something special, something symbolic, an emblem of some sort to show the world what a badass…er…I mean…good runner I now was. So I went to the running store and got me one of these…

It’s supposed to be ultra-polarized and offer SPF40 protection. I didn’t really much care. I just think it’ll go well with my bandana and tech t-shirt look. Hopefully, I won’t look like the guy who brings his own bowling ball to the alley but can’t bowl over 100 to save his life. But now that I am Trifecta-certified, I think I've earned the right to swag a little even on runs in the rain. What’d you all think?