the first 5K i ever "ran" was the Willie Walk put on by my high school. i was 18 and in really good shape. still, i didn't run the whole thing - probably because i didn't really know about pacing - i had to stop and walk. after that i ran/walked several more 5Ks but i never ran the whole thing. then, after being married to a very strong distance runner i thought i simply wasn't a runner. my family is full of sprinters. give me a 50 yard dash and i'm there. but recently i realized i was in a family of runners with two little kids who will most likely enjoy a good run on a regular basis. so rather than be left behind (in the dust, as it were) to cheer from the sidelines, i decided to get over the lame excuses and run.
with the help of a good friend who taught me some techniques and kept me in check by meeting me at 6 am three times a week, not to mention a very supportive family, i worked up to a three mile run. we signed up for a 5K and fortunately it was cool and breezy. i was slow, but i ran the entire thing... with some left in the tank to sprint to the finish (Johnson style).
i have to say the shirts at 5Ks are much better now. no more regular t-shirt, folks. these are cool-tech athletic shirts! still need some work on graphic design and sponsor logo placement, but hey, one thing at a time.
p.s. just for the record, i've been running regularly since, and with the bionic man no less. :)
