Two-mile race

I'm fairly regimented about sticking to my running schedule. I'm thinking seriously about running a marathon (it would be my third) this fall in Des Moines, so I run a decent amount.

On Tuesdays I do speedwork. So last Tuesday I drove down to the high school track in Montpelier to run quarter-mile laps. (I drove so I wouldn't have to run or walk back up the long, steep hill to Vermont College.) I invited Trent, my Iowa to Vermont travel companion and fellow veteran, to go along.

While I ran quarters, Trent ran two miles. This is the standard distance for the Army physical fitness test that all soldiers take every year. Since Trent doesn't like to run, running two miles is an easy distance for him.

He told me he ran his two miles that morning in 16-something. I told him I could beat that. He insisted he could run much faster than that.

The challenge was on. So at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 25, he and I, two of our classmates, and any other students and faculty who care to join us, will be racing two miles on the high school track.

Stay tuned for the thrilling results.