A Yearly Run for a Non-Runner

“Why would you do that?” - The question I got asked multiple times today by my coworkers when I explained why I was hobbling around the office.

Every year in mid-April Salt Lake City is host to the Salt Lake City Marathon. Along with the Marathon there is a half-marathon, 5k, and a bike tour. 

Once again this year, I chose to run the 5k. Before I go any further I realize that to a lot of people it is foolish to even bring up running a 5k, and maybe I agree. There is also the other half of the population that wouldn’t think about walking 5k, so maybe I am ok. Either way, the point is that some people are built to run, and some are not. I am not. My legs were put on the wrong way and my feet point funny. I’m lucky I can walk or stand! Ok, it’s not that bad, but I am really not built to run. (Just like I am definitely not built to ski). 

For some reason I feel like I need to run a race at least once a year. Maybe knowing that I am going to have to do it is just enough to subconsciously scare me into staying in shape enough to do it. Maybe I just need to remind myself that I CAN do it. I’m not really sure of my motivation, but I like doing it every year. 

Last year I got talked into running a 10k/mud run in the summer, so I viewed the SLC5K as a good checkpoint, and a little bit of help training. Honestly I thought last year FELT like the best race I had run, but when I got to the finish line I was disappointed to see my time was higher than I had expected. I ran the course without stopping for the first time, but still wasn’t very fast. 

This year I really had been more focused on training for biking than running. Though the season is early, so this didn’t exactly mean I had done a lot of biking. It was safe to say I considered myself somewhat out of shape. Even if it hurt, I figured the race would be a good indicator of how I was doing this year. 

Through the first half of the course I was pretty quick, though the first half of the course involves going DOWNHILL down State Street, so it was a breeze. Once I turned around and was coming back up State I knew I was in trouble. At about the 2 mile mark I had to slow it down and walk a little bit. After a little rest I made a strong charge up the rest of the uphill section, only to be close puking. I figured this run was NOT going to be pretty. As I came up to the finish line I was shocked to see my time. I was able to get in at 32:08. Not fantastic, but considering how I thought it went, I was very excited.

Here are my other highlights from the race:

• I really don’t know how nobody was hit by a train at the starting line. Putting the start/finish of a race with one side of the finish line directly next to a train track is asking for it. I haven’t heard of any casualties! 
• I think I could come up with approximations for what hell is like all night, but being someone who wants to run, and can actually run, and starting a 5K is painful. No matter what you do, there are 100 people in front of you who are already giving up to walking by the time you get 10 steps off the start line. I think dodging people for the first half mile is my least favorite thing about a race. 
• Nothing makes you run faster then when a guy runs by pushing a stroller with 2 kids in it. Who does that guy think he is?? Though I’m pretty sure when I was in college and ran, a guy on a walker passed me, but at that time I don’t think I cared.