Run4Shelter 5K

MW: 132.4
Days to Race: 162
Distance/Time: 3.1 mi/41.30

The first rule of racing is to Run Your Own Race. It's easy to keep in mind when you're alone on the road, but come race day, it's something that you have to constantly keep in mind.

Today was the Run4Shelter's event. I decided to run the 5K as it seemed to be within my abilities at the moment and a good test of my distance running. More importantly, however, I am currently fighting another setback and I was running because I was afraid. I was afraid that I couldn't do it and I was afraid that if I didn't, then I wasn't just giving up for the day, I was just plain giving up. I needed to prove to myself that I'm still strong enough to keep going and even if I passed out on the track in the attempt, I was doing it.

Luckily, there was no need for the paramedics. the trail was beautiful and even as the faster runners blew past me in the first few minutes, I'm still pleased with my results. The last 5K I ran was in about 47 minutes. There was some walking involved. Today, I ran the full course. My strategy was to mimic Secretariat. Yep, I was going to take strategy advice from a horse. It's sort of ridiculous. Here is what ESPN considers one of the greatest athletes in history, a creature bred to run and to run beyond fast and me, a dumpling who is descended from sturdy German peasant stock. Truly there is no comparison. But here is what wikipedia says about when Secretariat ran the Kentucky Derby in 1973:

"On his way to a still-standing track record (1:592⁄5), Secretariat ran each quarter-mile segment faster than the one before it. The successive quarter-mile times were 251⁄5, 24, 234⁄5, 232⁄5, and 23. This means he was still accelerating as of the final quarter-mile of the race. No other horse had won the Derby in less than 2 minutes before, and it would not be accomplished again until Monarchos in 2001."

I took the first mile nice and easy. Pressed the gas pedal a little harder in the second and then with Zac Brown Band's "Natural Disaster" humming along, I stepped it up until I could hardly breathe. And believe me, no matter what your time is, the feeling when you cross that finish line is indescribable. I might be the mouth-breather bringing up the rear, but my time is an improvement over my last 5K and I am looking forward to the next.