Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Progress is Imminent

I did a 5k race on Sunday which is the real reason for posting. I feel life has returned to the boring and mundane dimension once school started up again but now I actually have something to talk about. This spring semester will likely be just as busy as my last semester however, instead of all the stressful deadlines and chores one must do for "TA-ing" two classes I now mostly have just writing to do. I have just started my thesis. Hopefully it wont take too long so I can get out of here and start living...

The 5k I ran was to benefit the NMSU Kinesiology club. They really did a wonderful job organizing it and putting it on. I kept in mind my running goals but also remembered I had not set any for a 5k. I have never been able to truly race a 5k fast (according to me and the other distances) so rather than beating a dead horse I made goals for other distances. Nevertheless, I still wanted to run fast.

I set off at my usual slow start pace allowing my friend Jeffry Oxford and a dozen or more runners to swarm around me and pull away. Sure enough by about 800m into the race most everyone had dropped back. I passed my friend Robert Mercer for third place close to the first mile marker as I was trying to pick up the pace with each stride. Eventually I was all alone in third place and two of the NMSU cross country runners were a good 20 seconds ahead.

Between miles one and two I tried hard to reel them back in but running was their thing, and I knew that their pacing was probably rock solid. They didn't gain any ground on me in the middle miles and, for a while, I though they would falter and let me get a little closer. But they didn't falter, they were just too strong. After the two mile marker (estimating, there were no mile markers) it was all down hill to the finish. Turning the corner I looked behind me (something you should never ever do in a 5k) and seeing no one, and seeing the leaders not coming back to me I kind of gave up chase. Sure I ran really really hard but not having anything chase you or having anything to chase the fire and last few gears where saved for another day.

I crossed the line and looked at my watch. I was pretty stoked. I was only 10 seconds off of my all time 5k PR and I had not done any kind of speed, hills, or strength. Brianne too had a goal of running 21 minutes and she did that like *snap*!!! Be proud and enjoy your accomplishments. You work so hard.