The Old Runner

This has been one of my favorite races, so it's kind of odd that it's the first time I've run it since 2017. Last year (2020) I had almost quit running so I came down for the race but just watched. In 2019 the race was canceled because of a hurricane, and in 2018 I made it as far as the starting line but didn't like the cold and windy weather so I just decided to get back in my car and head for the hotel. That was a bad decision that I don't want to repeat, but I have somewhat of a reputation as a fair-weather runner. I was determined to run the race this year no matter what kind of weather I had to deal with, and it was a relief when the weather turned out to be just right. Compared to previous years, this year's race was smaller with only 694 runners in the half marathon. In its inaugural year, 2010, there were 2,702 finishers and the size peaked in 2014 with 3,125 runners crossing the finish line. Along with there being fewer runners, there were other telltal...