Ask me to bench press 270-280lbs, and I could do it. I’ve been serious about visiting the gym 4-5 times a week for the past year and a half. But ask me to run a 5K … well, that’s kinda sorta what I did today. Sorta.
I was having the time of my life 10-20 years ago when I was making major strides in my running habit. I was running dozens and dozens of 5Ks and three half-marathons. In April 2013, I ran my fastest 5K in 22:50 (7’21” / mile).
But age, injuries, ministry duties and stresses, and the busyness of life finally forced my running habit aside. Since then, I’ve gained weight, lost fitness … and continued to get older.
So, I signed up for this year’s Santa’s Run Fest a couple of months ago, thinking that setting a goal, knowing I was going to run 3.1 miles in front of a boatload of people along the route, would motivate me to get in shape. And then I got injured (left calf) in late October and haven’t been able to run for the past month and a half.
I went with Kim yesterday to get my runner’s packet. It included a shirt, my race bib (and number), and a few other things.
I arrived at the start of the race course at 6:45 AM this morning. As usual, there were some runners who were already warming up, stretching, and sweating (even though it was in the high 50s*). Other runners gathered in groups and enjoyed some conversation and laughs before the race started.
The 10K (6.2 miles) runners started their race at 7:00 AM. I’m guessing that there were around 200 of them. The sound of the horn is invigorating as each runner realizes their race has started and the clock is ticking. They have the opportunity to demonstrate how well they have trained for this event.
When the last of the 10K runners were fading into the distance, the announcer began to focus on us. He told us our 3.1 mile race would start in a little less than 15 minutes at 7:15 AM. They needed to give the 10K slower runners the ability to clear the road before the fastest in our group started.
I took the following picture about 3-5 minutes before our race (5K) started. The building to the left is the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce.
The horn blew at 7:15 AM and we slowly made our way forward, trying not to bump or step on each other.
The race doesn’t technically begin when the horn blows. Each bib has a chip glued to the back of it. When a runner steps across a special mat at the start line, it triggers the computer and your race officially begins. As I trotted across the mat, I hit the “Start” button on my Garmin watch as it began to collect my race data.
The 5K course was reasonably flat. Here’s the map my watch created as I ran the route.
When I started this race, I knew full well that I was carrying quite a few extra pounds and hadn’t trained for it. So, I planned to do a walk/run routine – I would run for a quarter of a mile and walk long enough to catch my breath before running another quarter mile. But I was surprised that I was able to run the first mile without stopping. I wasn’t going fast but at least I wasn’t walking!
My time slowed even more in the second and third mile. I stopped to walk quite a few times.
While this is probably the slowest 5K race I’ve ever run, it felt pretty good. It reminded me of how invigorating it is to be in a race. It made me want to get back to training so that I can eventually get my 5K finish times in the low 20s before age makes that pace impossible.
To conclude, here’s the data for this race:
Distance: 3.11 miles
Total time: 37:15
Weather: 61* / cloudy
Average pace: 11’59”
Mile 1: 10’40”
Mile 2: 13’09”
Mile 3: 12’27”
Final .11 mile: 9’05”
Average heart rate: 163 bpm
Maximum heart rate: 182 bpm
I hope this wasn’t boring. If you look back through the articles I’ve written on my website, you’ll see that I enjoy writing about each of my races. Maybe it’ll inspire one of you to take up a running habit.
Matt’s Musings 