5K and Not Drowning
I'd been running for several months and was enjoying the return to running immensely. I never knew I could derive so much enjoyment from such a simple activity. I continued to learn as much as possible about running. While browsing the internet for running information, I discovered a local 5k road race. It was July of 2004 and the race was to take place in October. I decided to enter the race and mailed in my entry form. I found a training plan that seemed reasonable and began training for the race.
While educating myself about running and endurance training, I continually came across information dealing with triathlon. I knew very little about triathlon, but was strangely intrigued by the idea of someday completing one. I'd seen the Hawaii Ironman on television, but my knowledge of triathlon didn't go much further. I hadn't ridden a bike in 25 or so years, and swam only a handful of times each year on vacation. I'd heard about a local triathlon that was to take place around this time and decided to attend the triathlon as a spectator to see what it was all about.
I arrived at the triathlon only minutes before the gun was to go off. I was amazed by the excitement of all the colorfully crowned athletes waiting to start their races. The gun went off and the excitement was converted to action. I took it all in and was so fired up by the whole experience that I decided I'd compete in the race the following year. I went that day and began shopping for a bike. I was dazed by all the "stuff" I'd need to be able to ride a bike, other than the bike itself; helmet, shoes, pedals, gloves, shorts, jersey, water bottles, tubes, tools, and on and on. Wow that's a lot of $$$. I decided to mull it over a bit.
While mulling, I to joined the local YMCA and began my swim training. Swimming, a simple act. Just hop in the water and go. A piece of cake. Right? WRONG!!!
I dug out my favorite faded swim trunks I'd had for the last 10 vacations and headed out for the pool. I'd done my homework this time and read up on proper swim technique. I arrived at the Y, put on my trunks and made my way to the pool deck. I descended into the pool and pushed off for my first swim session. About 10 yards into the first length, I realized swimming was not going to be as easy as I'd thought. I was experiencing difficulty in acquiring enough oxygen to supply the demands of my muscles without sucking all the water out of the pool in the process. At about the 20 yard point, those same muscles were burning and I hoped I'd be able to make it the final 5 yards to the wall without drowning. I grabbed the wall and held on while I caught my breath. I turned and looked at the distance I'd just covered and wondered if I'd be able to make it back. All the while, a 70-something year old was cruising from one end of the pool to the other with the ease of a dolphin playing in the ocean. I began to wonder if maybe I was aquatically challenged. Finally, I regained my breath and pushed off for another length. I struggled through that and two more lengths and called it a day. Two laps and I was exhausted. I realized I had much work to do in the pool.
The start of the 5k race was drawing near. Race day arrived and I was ready. My wife, DJ, and daughter, KJ, came along with me and were excited and ready to cheer for Dad. I'd never seen so many people in running shoes at one time. The race began and the huddled mass began to move forward. Soon the crowd began to thin out and I was surprised to find myself passing other runners. I continued to pass runners as I went along. At about the 2 mile point, I was no longer passing others and began to feel as though my lungs were on fire. I slowed a bit in an attempt to regain some of my spent energy. A half mile later, a runner I'd passed came up along side me and soon passed. I fell in behind the other runner, determined to stay with him. We rounded the final corner and I was only a few yards behind him. The finish line came into view and I gave it all I had. I passed the runner I'd been trailing, and two others, before reaching the finish line. I found DJ and KJ and we celebrated at the finish line. I had hoped to complete the race in under 27 minutes, but as I looked at my finishing time of 24:27, I couldn't believe it. I didn't win any medals that day, but I had a ton of fun, and found a group of other nuts that didn't seem to think it was too awfully nutty to run for fun...even without something chasing after them.
While educating myself about running and endurance training, I continually came across information dealing with triathlon. I knew very little about triathlon, but was strangely intrigued by the idea of someday completing one. I'd seen the Hawaii Ironman on television, but my knowledge of triathlon didn't go much further. I hadn't ridden a bike in 25 or so years, and swam only a handful of times each year on vacation. I'd heard about a local triathlon that was to take place around this time and decided to attend the triathlon as a spectator to see what it was all about.
I arrived at the triathlon only minutes before the gun was to go off. I was amazed by the excitement of all the colorfully crowned athletes waiting to start their races. The gun went off and the excitement was converted to action. I took it all in and was so fired up by the whole experience that I decided I'd compete in the race the following year. I went that day and began shopping for a bike. I was dazed by all the "stuff" I'd need to be able to ride a bike, other than the bike itself; helmet, shoes, pedals, gloves, shorts, jersey, water bottles, tubes, tools, and on and on. Wow that's a lot of $$$. I decided to mull it over a bit.
While mulling, I to joined the local YMCA and began my swim training. Swimming, a simple act. Just hop in the water and go. A piece of cake. Right? WRONG!!!
I dug out my favorite faded swim trunks I'd had for the last 10 vacations and headed out for the pool. I'd done my homework this time and read up on proper swim technique. I arrived at the Y, put on my trunks and made my way to the pool deck. I descended into the pool and pushed off for my first swim session. About 10 yards into the first length, I realized swimming was not going to be as easy as I'd thought. I was experiencing difficulty in acquiring enough oxygen to supply the demands of my muscles without sucking all the water out of the pool in the process. At about the 20 yard point, those same muscles were burning and I hoped I'd be able to make it the final 5 yards to the wall without drowning. I grabbed the wall and held on while I caught my breath. I turned and looked at the distance I'd just covered and wondered if I'd be able to make it back. All the while, a 70-something year old was cruising from one end of the pool to the other with the ease of a dolphin playing in the ocean. I began to wonder if maybe I was aquatically challenged. Finally, I regained my breath and pushed off for another length. I struggled through that and two more lengths and called it a day. Two laps and I was exhausted. I realized I had much work to do in the pool.
The start of the 5k race was drawing near. Race day arrived and I was ready. My wife, DJ, and daughter, KJ, came along with me and were excited and ready to cheer for Dad. I'd never seen so many people in running shoes at one time. The race began and the huddled mass began to move forward. Soon the crowd began to thin out and I was surprised to find myself passing other runners. I continued to pass runners as I went along. At about the 2 mile point, I was no longer passing others and began to feel as though my lungs were on fire. I slowed a bit in an attempt to regain some of my spent energy. A half mile later, a runner I'd passed came up along side me and soon passed. I fell in behind the other runner, determined to stay with him. We rounded the final corner and I was only a few yards behind him. The finish line came into view and I gave it all I had. I passed the runner I'd been trailing, and two others, before reaching the finish line. I found DJ and KJ and we celebrated at the finish line. I had hoped to complete the race in under 27 minutes, but as I looked at my finishing time of 24:27, I couldn't believe it. I didn't win any medals that day, but I had a ton of fun, and found a group of other nuts that didn't seem to think it was too awfully nutty to run for fun...even without something chasing after them.
posted by TJ at 7:04 AM
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