My First 5K

I finished in 33 minutes. Not as fast as I was hoping for, but still about my average pace of 10:30. I ran the first mile in 9:16 which is a minute faster than ever before, no doubt due to my competitive edge wanting to keep up with the pack, but I had to make myself slow down after that. Runners are a funny bunch, all jogging around unsociably in their fancy gear. Just my kind of sport. The winner ran the whole thing in 16 minutes. I saw him sprinting to the finish as I was heading into the middle of my second mile and a small, evil piece of me wanted to slap him. The rest of me was very happy for him, ha ha.

Anyway, I felt really good, no cramps or pain or such. I spent much of the way just ahead of the high school girls' soccer team and their coach, who happens to be the assistant pastor of the church where I work, so he was verbally dragging me along the last quarter mile to the end. Our church really needs to start a running team. There's at least six of us.

Of course, as soon as I crossed the finish line I came down with a cold. I kid you not, it was that instantaneous. I got all stuffed up, starting sneezing, and now I am in great cold form. Bother. But still, I want to put on my shoes and get out on the road again.