Happy 2011!

Starting line in the rain


Loni and I signed up for the Knoxville Track Club New Year's Day 5k. She was not feeling well, but drove with me to the route near UT's Neyland Stadium. It poured rain all the way down. Slick roads, fog, visibility about 1/2 mile. Got there and, while the temperature was a balmy 53 degrees, she had started to cough and so stayed in the car, bless here heart. I felt bad that she came all that way just to wait for me in the car. I am not one to finish a 5k in 18 minutes and come back.

I got my chip and tag and then waited under a tree with 457 other people. This was different than the Jingle Bell run on December 11. That run was for charity and was full of families, old people, and middle aged bald fat guys who should be home flipping channels.

This race today was full of runners, a handful of walkers and a middle aged bald fat guy who should have been home taking care of his sick daughter.

I got to the starting line and they delayed the start for some reason. It was pouring rain. Pouring rain. Pouring. Our office had flood warnings out for Knox County. Water everywhere. The real runners were yelling at the race officials, "START THE RACE!" Finally, after some announcements which were garbled by the poor conditions and the sound of rain pound on my skull, the gun sounded. The runners took off and I stayed to the curb so as to not get in the way. I would NOT get run over, you see, because I am five times larger than any runner and about that much stronger. But I don't want to be rude to people who are trying to compete.

I did it. And the nice thing was that I sort of knew what to expect this time. When my shins would hurt, when they would stop hurting, when my breath would stop being labored and start keeping pace with my legs, when I would enter my mental zone, etc. I found I could carry on a conversation at a certain pace and not above that. So I kept to that pace because slow and steady wins the race.

I did not win the race, but I beat myself. I bested my previous best time by 47 seconds. That's about a 15:03 minute mile average. Getting better. I placed 429 of 458 runners. The oldest man was 82 years old and ran it in 29:20. He finished 244th. I admire that guy. The oldest woman was 78 years old and ran it in 47:50, just behind me. She placed 433rd. I am scare of her.

I guess my next official run will be in Elko. I'll have to try and run on the treadmill, which is so boring. But the temperature will not likely rise above about 20 until July. Crap.

When I got back to the car, poor Loni was miserable and I was, too. She was tired and sick and I was tired and soaked through. We made it home in one piece and had a nice talk, as always do. Then I showered and she dropped asleep on the couch.


At home after the race