5K Fun Run
In 2005 my coworker, Sean, dragged me out to the Oracle 5k fun run at lunchtime. I was training for an Ironman that year so I had a pretty good level of fitness going but 5k's weren't really my thing. 5k's are about speed and survival and pain thresholds that I just didn't experience going long distance. My forte has always been endurance - the ability to endure miles and hours. Not speed. Plus, to be honest, I didn't necessarily think it was worth the effort to change clothes and work up a sweat for something that was over in less than 30 minutes. Yes, I know, I was smug.
My final time was 23:30. A 7:34 pace. I seriously never would've imagined I could run 3 miles at that pace. I just didn't think I was built that way. (Score one for the big girls!) Some of the guys came up and congratulated me, said nice job. At the BBQ afterwards a few girls congratulated me. Sean finished 20 seconds earlier and said that his goal had become just to finish before I did. Of course, having forgotten his sneakers he was running in his work shoes but that's another story.
It was possibly the most intense and eye-opening 23+ minutes of exercise I'd experienced until that point. I learned that I did have speed (relatively speaking) and that I could will myself past the pain when pressed. I learned what it feels like to be a frontrunner (unnerving and exciting) and what it feels like to finish first (awesome). And I learned that sometimes a 30 minute effort is more than enough to justify putting on your workout clothes.
Footnote: I missed 2006, came back in 2007 and lead the pack through the first 2.3 miles until another woman took me down, leaving me in second place. I skipped 2008 but upon googling the woman that finished first (left hand side of the picture at top) I learned that she is a professional triathlete and model. A model! I can't lose to a model! Seriously though, she was the overall winner of the Tri-Cal Series in her age group. I'll have to rededicate myself to 2009.
(Photo from 2008 race, courtesy of the other Martin Taylor, Flickr)
Sean is a fast runner so he pulled me up front with him - there were maybe 200-250 people. The start was a tight cluster around the beginning of a running path so positioning was key to getting out ahead early. The gun sounded and we took off, going from zero to something like a sub-7:00 pace in those first 100 yards. I joked around with Sean for a few minutes (okay, maybe 45 seconds) before I started breathing too hard. We were with the first 25 or so runners, all of them lithe runner types, and not a girl in sight ahead of me. Sean was moving quickly but I was right behind him, figuring I'd go as long as I could on his heels and then settle into whatever pace I had left. My strategy once I considered that I could finish first: To put enough distance between me and the next girl and then hope I could walk quickly enough once I bonked to beat her to the finish line.The first mile zipped by and though I was just about gasping for air, I had backed off into a slightly more manageable pace, still pushing as fast as my body would go. At the turnaround I grabbed a water, barely able to drink a few gulps in between breaths. My lungs were starting to hurt and my mouth was dry. I heard someone shout "first woman" from the other side - I'll never forget it. I'd never heard it! It buoyed my determination but by mile two, my legs were heavy and my running flat-footed. I had to pick out points on the course that I told myself I'd run as fast as I could to and then slow down. But each time I crossed a point I picked another without easing up. I zeroed in on guys ahead of me that I could see were slowing down and I ran to pass them. I ran like I was being chased though I had no idea if another girl was right behind me or 10 minutes behind. The whole while I could see the finish line - so far away but slowly, painfully growing closer. The last 400 yards were the worst - with just the slightest uphill. I ran with every ounce of strength and competitive nature and determination I had.
And I finished first woman overall. My lungs ached.
(my name immortalized on the trophy)
It was possibly the most intense and eye-opening 23+ minutes of exercise I'd experienced until that point. I learned that I did have speed (relatively speaking) and that I could will myself past the pain when pressed. I learned what it feels like to be a frontrunner (unnerving and exciting) and what it feels like to finish first (awesome). And I learned that sometimes a 30 minute effort is more than enough to justify putting on your workout clothes.
Footnote: I missed 2006, came back in 2007 and lead the pack through the first 2.3 miles until another woman took me down, leaving me in second place. I skipped 2008 but upon googling the woman that finished first (left hand side of the picture at top) I learned that she is a professional triathlete and model. A model! I can't lose to a model! Seriously though, she was the overall winner of the Tri-Cal Series in her age group. I'll have to rededicate myself to 2009.
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