Running a 5K

Yesterday, within minutes after the 5K started, I was the last of the runners. It was embarrassing. The guy who was in front of me, second to last, was taunting me. He said, “Hey buddy, how does it feel to be last?” I said “Do you want to know?” and I dropped out.

I can't believe these words are coming from my keyboard, but I like running. I'm hooked. I'm a junkie. I have to have it every other day or I think the world is going to end. Believe me, I'm the last person who ever thought would utter these words.

Obviously, I didn't drop out of the race. I kept running even though my knees were in pain and and I was on a pace to complete a marathon in four hours from tomorrow. I was undeterred. Nothing could stop me, other than a car, and I must admit I considered it once or twice.

I'm kidding, of course. It was only once, and it was a kia, so I would have done more damage to the car than visa versa. In all seriousness, finishing a race was a dream come true. 11 weeks ago, I was sitting on the couch. I stumbled upon an app that claimed it could have me running a 5K in 8 weeks. Thinking it was baloney, I decided to test it. There was a treadmill upstairs that my wife uses. She's the real runner, with an amazing story which you can find on YouTube.

She has run two full marathons, many half marathons and many 5Ks. She ran with me yesterday. Well, let's just say she ran in the same event. She finished and then came back to finish it with me. She was worried that I might pass out along the way, which was a probability. The illness that I have makes it difficult to be around crowds.

As she reached me, I was walking. Partly because it was time for me to walk and partly because my lower back was in tremendous pain. We walked until it felt better, and then ran the rest of the way. I was very surprised to discover that I actually knocked ten minutes off of my best treadmill time.

That was not a good thing. When you train a certain way for 11 weeks, you should run the same way on event day. I didn't. I didn't tell anyone, but I increased my pace, so as not to be embarrassed. I didn't want to finish last. There were ladies walking strollers right on my tail, and no one behind them.

I wasn't going down like that. I was going to beat those mommies, no matter what. I was sort of surprised at how fast it went. I thought that once I finished a 5K, I would immediately begin to practice for a 10K. Wrong. I'm going to continue to run 5Ks until I can run them with ease. Then I'll move up, if my knees can take it.

Maybe I'll just run a couple of miles every other day, on the treadmill and slowly increase, but never run another event. I'll see how it goes. There was no bib in yesterday's event, but I got a T-shirt as a momento. That was cool, and the entrance fee went to a couple who had lost a child, so it still felt good, even finishing next to last.

The truth is, I knew my time was not going to be good. I just wanted to finish, and I did. I felt good about it and it, along with the amazing friends I have who cheered me on through Facebook, I'll most likely do more and slowly build up to a half marathon. At least that's the plan.

Am I insane, or what? Wasn't I the guy who said that the only way I would run a marathon was if I were being chased by a clown with a bloody knife? Did I also mention that I'm starting at 57 years old? I don't care, I'm going to keep going.

Now, if you don't mind, I need to get an ice bag for my knees.

See you tomorrow.

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