Catch Me if You Can

I am still giving everything I can to support my Soldiers, the mission, and the future of the Army.  The extra time it take for mid-week phone calls, dozens of emails a day, and travel away from home is merely something that is part of our lives.  It is required because this job cannot be accomplished in one weekend a month and a couple of weeks in the summer.
One of my requirements is to take the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), twice a year.  The test included two minutes of Push-Ups, two minutes of Sit-Ups, and a two mile run.  Points are awarded for the number correctly completed, on a scale of 0 to 100 for each event.  The most someone can get is 300 points.  And, yes, there are age categories.  I believe it is important to keep physically fit.  As an officer and as senior leader, Soldiers look at me and gauge me through this lens - one lens of many - but one they can compare themselves to.   

When I took command eighteen months ago I took the APFT when I was in top condition.  I easily maxed out all of the events.  However, during the run there was a younger officer who was running ahead of me.  A mile into the run I thought I might be able to catch him.  With a half mile to go I knew I could close on him, and in the process have a little fun. 

I ran up behind him, where he couldn't see me.  I began to taunt him.  He ran faster.  I ran up along side of him.  He pushed harder.  I caught him again and this time I slyly said, "See you at the finish line," and took off at a dead sprint to beat him.  He did not like getting beat by an 'old man' and waited until our next APFT together. 

That was this morning.

There was a murmur and acknowledgement throughout the unit that the young stud and the old man were competing.  We each maxed out our Push-Ups.  We each maxed out our Sit-Ups.  We moved to the start of the run.  There was trash talk and people rooting for one or the other.  The group made space for us to start side by side.  We took off at a hard run.  With a good breeze to our backs we quickly got out in the front three.  We stayed together for a mile and half, side by side, pushing each other to keep pace, but neither willing to make a move as to not burn out too soon. 

The course was a mile out and a mile back, so the mile back was into the wind.  He pulled an arms length ahead of me at the 1 1/2 mile mark and then fell back about 50 feet.  By now I felt I could maintain my pace all the way to the finish but I didn't know if he could find one last burst.  I got my answer was he drove hard past me and stayed about 50-100 feet in front of me but never pulled away. 

People were cheering and screaming at the finish line.  Why not go for it? So I kicked in to sprint mode and blew by him.  I didn't say anything because I was afraid I'd lose my breathing pattern and burn out.  At the finish it wasn't even close.  I beat him and kept my bragging rights.

I love that friendly competition.  It is good for morale. I like being my age and beating people half my age. It is good for my morale.