SC Loves to Run!

The Marriage of a Long Run and a 5k Race

Several years ago, a man in the Rochester running community, for whom I have great respect, asked me why I didn’t participate in more races.  My reply went something like this, “Why, Roger, you know I’m training for a marathon.  So, I have to run much further than 3.1 or 6.2 miles!” 

Roger proceeded to explain how one could marry a long run with a race.  It’s quite a simple formula, really:  long warm up, race, finish mileage.   Today I did just that, and, let me tell you, this is easier said than done.   

I haven’t run a 5k in about a month mostly due to illness.  But, if I’m painfully honest, I’ve also avoided racing because I ran the last one so poorly.  If you recall, my previous 5k time was 25:02 – terrible for me.  So, I silently vowed that this weekend, despite my need to run rather long (16 – 17 miles), I’d run a 5k. 

At 6:00 am I began my day of running with a 4 mile “warm-up”.  Well, I ran 3 miles on my treadmill at a very easy 8:30 pace before showering and heading to the race.  When I arrived at the race, I ran another 1 mile at an easy pace to continue warming up.  While I ran, I scoped out the competition and immediately saw one woman in my age group (well, my age group for today, 40 – 49) who consistently beats me at 5ks.  Then, I recognized another fast woman (same age as the first) and I realized that there would be some strong competitors today!

I won’t bore you with all of the details, but at the end I was secretly excited because I came in just after lady 2; so, I figured I took 3rd with a watch time of 23:48 and a gun time of 24:01.  Even though I still had another 9 or 10 miles to run, I hung around waiting for the results.  When I looked at the board, I couldn’t believe it – I placed 4th in my age group.  What!  How could this be?  I must have stared at the board for 5 minutes in disbelief! 

Well, I left the race feeling somewhat disappointed (okay, I was bummed), but then I realized how much I’d improved my time from the last race.  Immediately, I began to cheer up.  (Remember, I’m working on improving my mental attitude.)  “Good for you, SC!” is what I told myself instead of my usual, “Well, see, you’re just not a good runner.”

Now, remember I still owed myself a fair number of miles, and my coach instructed me to run the last 3 at my marathon goal pace of 8:50.  So, I stopped at the beautiful canal path and ran another 9.5 in 1:23:23, an 8:48 per mile pace.  The canal was packed with runners, cyclists, walkers, and young children admiring the ducks and fishing.  I guess I was smiling while running as an elderly man asked me how I could smile and run at the same time.  I said, “Sir, I’m smiling because I can run.  I’m so grateful that I am a runner.”

So, today this runner ran 16.6 miles, with a race tucked in the middle.  As I sit here nursing my Mich Ultra Light, I offer up a prayer of gratitude for a strong heart, strong legs, and a strong mind.