From the back...

The view of a race is far different...

The people around you are very different...

The people around you get the chance to talk to you...

The people around you are much more nicer...

This year I've been both at the very front of some races but also in the very back... I mean DEAD LAST in one case...

But regardless of how last I was I NEVER GAVE UP...

Perhaps because I am older now I can process the frustration of falling behind but at the same time continue to move forward...

Perhaps because I am older now I want to make sure that I get my money's worth of everything the race has to offer...

Perhaps because I am wearing the CLOT BUSTER #StopTheClot polka-dots I feel that if I don't keep going I am not honoring those blood clot survivors who are truly battling to overcome the challenges of their clotting incident...

I tell you what wearing the polka-dots always keeps me honest and provides an additional level of accountability from which I cannot shy away...

There have been a number of races this year that smacked me on the face...

Perhaps my preparation was not on point...

Perhaps I got hit by a car...

Perhaps I drank too much of an energy drink that I was not used to..

Perhaps I suffered 7 flat tires in the course of 20Miles due to poor equipment selection....

In the end each and everyone of the races in which I battled myself left behind a mountain high pile of lessons learned from which I know I can draw pointers and improve.

There is plenty of room to improve.  However, one thing I don't need to improve is racing in the polka-dot kit because it definitely gives me wings... Not necessarily to fly but to just keep going and finish.

Not much racing left now in 2014.  Just a couple of more running events for me and a lot of tweeting and blogging about clot survivors running the NYC Marathon and other endurance events before the end of the year.

For now it is time to prepare the roster for my oldest son's 1st Grade Soccer match and see if we can remain undefeated...and of course rest so that my body can heal and recover.

Looking forward to racing and spreading the word about blood clots and blood clotting disorders in 2015.  Definitely some of my luck HAS to improve next year.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster