Race!

So, I guess I'll do a "race recap" a la my buddy Jeff ... although I'm not sure if "race recap" is the most apt description.  Really, for me, it's more of a "casual 5k run/walk recap".

While I've been running a distance of pretty close to a 5k for a couple months now (on & off thanks to the knee), this is "My First 5k".  At least, you know, in the out-of-doors with things like a starting pistol, a bunch of other people, and a big digital clock advertising my inadequacy. It was a fun experience for sure.  And great to be supporting Young Life Access in Naperville.

As a caveat: I've been careful not to let speed/time be too much of a focus for my training so far.  The goal isn't necessarily to "get fast" but to lose weight and "get healthy".  That said, with the primary activity I've chosen for my quest toward health, it would certainly make sense if I got faster as a byproduct.  So, as I embrace my geekdom, I like following numbers and seeing progress, and trying to improve... it naturally follows to want to improve in running ability as well as health.  With that out of the way, on to the race...

The race results are up... you can check them here: www.chicago5k.org ... I did okay.  I was really hoping to finish under 25 minutes... but to be honest I don't have much substantial evidence that would indicate that as a reasonable estimate.  Like I said, more of a "hope".  As far as conditions, it was a little breezy (which, at least at this point, doesn't affect me running nearly as much running as it does on a bike... at least mentally), and some very light rain off and on, and pretty dang cold (although I overdressed, and was super hot by the second mile).

Anyway, my official race time was 25:54... but it was a few seconds before I crossed the start line, and they didn't give us those foot thingys, so according to my watch it was 25:45.  Not that those nine seconds make much of a difference... and either way it was good enough to finish 23rd (go Ryne Sandburg), and 4th in my division... hilariously one spot off a medal... although that's more of an indication that not too many 20-29 year old males decided to "compete" in the 5k portion of the race.

Also, I had what real runners call a "negative split"... faster on the way back, 13:04/12:41.  Apparently that's good.  (But really it's because the people I was pacing with were running slower than I wanted and I didn't realize it until after the first mile.  Ha.  I'm bad at pacing).

So, goal not quite met (yet), but there's still some encouragement.  A 25:45 5k is a 8:17 mile... which really is pretty good for me.  For now, anyway (especially considering I literally could not run a 5k two months ago), that's decent progress.  I'm hoping to continue to improve as this whole "health" thing progresses...

Distance: 5k

More on food later, but it was pretty healthy, minus a bag of "Sour Patch Kids Jelly Beans" which filled me with both awe and horror as I involuntarily purchased them at Walgreens.  Such a beautiful collaboration of so much that I love... so very very bad for me.  Ugh.  (also, how did no one think of these earlier... brilliant!)  Like I said, healthy save for that one gloriously terrible downfall.  Food: B-

Magic number: 223.8 lbs.