But I do have a few preferences: no music, no watch, no machine. This third preference refers to the treadmill. Stationary running just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but I acknowledge its use when the weather is hazardous or when working out seems dreadful without the TV’s distraction.

Even though the weather may sometimes be hazardous due to July’s heat index, I encourage you to leave the luxury of air conditioning and explore some of Wichita’s best running paths. I should really refer to these routes as running/walking paths. It’s the middle of the summer in the ICT; who am I kidding?

The best time to run is at dusk or dawn. Not only will you beat (the worst of) the heat, you’ll also be able to enjoy the natural lighting of the setting or the rising of the sun. So grab a water bottle and bug spray and hit the ground running.

College Hill Park is my home field. I’ll admit that I’m a bit biased and know the area far better than any other. I sometimes follow a counterclockwise loop, avoiding the sidewalk paths and staying along the far edges of the park, which is an estimated half mile distance. For example when I enter the park from English Street, I start by veering to the right and running up the hill, and then I continue to run long the edges. But when that hill looks a bit too daunting, I stick to the sidewalks and don’t worry about exact distances.

Harrison Park (1300 S. Webb Rd.) is similar to College Hill but with a loop along the edges that is about one mile instead of a half mile. I prefer to avoid the sidewalks so I can run this route along the edges. I also prefer to run on grass; it’s easier on your legs.

Chisholm Creek Park at the Great Plains Nature Center (6232 E. 29^th St. N.) is a wonderful place to run. Although the paths of concrete, asphalt and wooden bridges are manmade, the surroundings make me feel like I’m running through a picture of undisturbed nature. I love running through the trees, seeing the baby ducks in the pond and catching a glimpse of a deer. This place is a reminder of why I always prefer to run outside. The route that I am familiar with is the Cottonwood Trail, which is a 1.7-mi. loop. A kiosk north of the nature center lists the distances of the other trails, including loops of .5 mi., .9 mi. and 1.1 mi.

North Chisholm Creek Park at 34^th and Woodlawn is also a picturesque area, especially for a former cross-country runner. I say this because the area makes me nostalgic for my high school running days; the grassy paths surrounding the fishing pond remind me of a cross-country course. I’m not sure about distance measurements here, but I know a wide loop around the perimeter is more than a mile (I didn’t have a watch or fancy measuring device with me).

Lakepoint is just an east-side ICT neighborhood, but the curvy sidewalk extending between Central and 13^th St. can be a convenient running path for nearby neighbors. Running alongside a pond, the sidewalk extends about 1.5 mi.

I know there are many other parks and paths that are favorite spots for the ICT runner/walker. For example, my west-side friends tell me Sedgwick County Park (6300 W. 13^th St. N.) is a favorite. I know some people (myself included) prefer just to run along the streets in their neighborhood. Please feel free to sound off and let others know about your go-to places to run throughout the ICT.

(Image Credit)

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Guest post by Jamie Morton

The first few months of any new year are an exciting time when you work at a gym. There’s an influx of new faces, fresh blood and resolutions. Most of those resolutions are forgotten around March, when the health clubs start to thin out again. A few of the new faces stick around, but for the most part, come March there are enough treadmills and ellipticals again, and it’s back to business-as-usual for us fitness professionals.

Maybe you began this year as one of the resolved; maybe you’re now one of the resigned. Or maybe you didn’t even bother making a health resolution this year, because it didn’t seem worth it. I’d like to offer some advice to both groups. But first: a story.

I was not what you might call an athletic kid. I was more a part of the nose-in-a-book camp. I wasn’t any good at volleyball; I hated running; I played basketball in middle school, but was on the last resort squad (you know, that segment of the bench that only sees action if voodoo simultaneously cripples every other member of the team). So I did other things.

They were not active things.

Come college, I tinkered around with jogging, because my roommate would occasionally jog. I sometimes went to the gym to lift weights because–hey! free gym membership! I played Ultimate Frisbee because I had a crush on a team captain. Rock climbing club, same story. But I wasn’t really active, and I certainly looked it (see photo #1).

The summer before junior year, my mentor shared with me some pictures of her first triathlon. A friend and I casually agreed that next year we would join her. That year, I met two other people in my classes who were training for triathlons. That was the tipping point for me: if they could do it, so could I.

So I picked a race. I started training. I taught myself as much as I could, using the Interwebs for information and inspiration. And I managed to swim, bike, and run all the way through my very first race. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done. And I came in second to last. I vowed that I would never do another race like that again.

But, I knew I could do better, and so by the end of the week, I was looking for another opportunity to race, ready to train again.

Triathlon has kind of become my thing. Without it, I wouldn’t be as active as I am now. I certainly wouldn’t have a job as a personal trainer. My circle of friends would be completely different. Oh, and I’d probably be about 50 pounds heavier, like many of my friends from high school.

The point is that I have a thing that I do. It’s triathlon. And I love it. I always tell clients there are really only two ways to get fit and stay fit: one is to have a close encounter with death that makes you realize that you have to get in shape no matter what the cost. The other is to find an activity that you truly enjoy, or one that you want to conquer. Guess which path is easier.

Not that it’s easy, by any means. Because how the heck do you go out there and just find something?

Only way that I’ve found is to try a lot of things. Here are a few suggestions for getting started.

- Group fitness classes. Step, spinning, and Zumba might not complete your life or anything, but you might find that you enjoy the social aspects of a group class. Go with friends and use the class as an opportunity to spend quality time with each other. Most of the area health clubs offer a wide array of classes, free to members (dues at both Genesis and the YMCA include all group fitness classes). That health club membership might just be worth it if you’re attending two or three classes a week.

- Water aerobics classes. Do you enjoy splashing around in the water? Maybe you’ll enjoy the water aerobics environment. Same benefits as group fitness, plus easier on the joints and with constant resistance. In addition to Genesis and the Y, Health Strategies and WSU also offer aquatics classes.

- Yoga. Some people love it, some people don’t. But if you love it, chances are you’ll really love it, so it’s worth giving it a shot. And is it enough to get you strong and fit? You bet!

- Team sports. Adult soccer leagues, adult softball leagues, rugby, why not? You may surprise yourself by finding that you really enjoy pounding another group of people into the ground. Or that getting pounded into the ground yourself sparks an intense desire to improve.

- Running. It might not be for everyone, but there’s definitely something to be said for setting a goal (might be running a race, or it might be running 2 miles), training hard, and achieving it. Running’s easy, because it takes so little equipment and so little prep time. Try to keep in mind that it should feel natural and joyful (but don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t immediately feel that great).

- Cycling. Okay, you geeks. I know you’re out there. This is your sport, kids. Gear galore. Plenty of opportunity to spend money. Lots and lots of training data and numbers. iPhone apps. Yes, geeks; this is your sport.

- Triathlon. It’s a sport that is for everyone. The variety of three sports keeps it interesting, and breaks the races up into chunks that are achievable. Don’t question it. Just try it. If I can, you can.

Jamie Morton trains all kinds of people -from grandmas with double knee replacements to Ironman triathletes – at Genesis Health Club. Email her with questions at jamielynnmorton (at) gmail (dot) com. You can also check out her blog.

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Guest post by Mark Thomas Kenny

As spring rapidly approaches, I find myself anxiously searching for ways to dislodge those 15 pounds of winter-justified warmth that the new Freddy’s in Derby so graciously bestowed upon me. After many midday musings, I concluded that I simply couldn’t be so selfish as to hang my red cape and blue tights in a locker at the Y to go walk aimlessly on a treadmill next to Johnny B.O. when so many people are in need of help. I remembered all the Facebook in,vitations to this walk and that walk, helping this group and that group, and how I had quickly dismissed them all with the almighty Ignore button. So, as penance I have compiled a list of charitable fundraiser walks taking place over the next several months. I can think of no better way to achieve my fitness goal than by helping others in the process. I plan to participate in many of these mutually beneficial events, and I invite each of you to try at least one as well.

Autism CARE Walk – Saturday, April 10 at Heartspring, 8700 E. 29th St. N.

Proceeds benefit local children who are on the autism spectrum through workshops and programs offered by Heartspring. This year’s walk is approximately two miles and will start and finish on the Heartspring campus. Registration is free and all participants can create their own personal fundraising page on the Autism CARE Walk website.

Walk MS: Mid America – Saturday, April 10 at Sedgwick County Park, 6501 W. 21st St. N.

Proceeds help create a world free from multiple sclerosis. Participants can choose from a 1.2 or 3.4 mile route with rest stops along the way. After the walk, enjoy a hamburger cookout, music, and fun.

Midwest Hemophilia Association Walk-A-Thon – Saturday, April 17 at The Grove Apartments, 2909 N. Oliver

Raises funds and awareness about hemophilia and other bleeding and clotting disorders.

Step Up For SIDS – Saturday, April 17 at Cessna Stadium at Wichita State University

Individuals and teams are invited to participate in the 5K run through the WSU campus and/or the SIDS memory walk on the stadium track. Plan to stay the whole morning and participate in games and activities at the Children’s Fair.

March for Babies – Saturday, April 17 at Lawrence Dumont Stadium

Proceeds support programs in the community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies and fund research to find answers to the problems that threaten premature babies.

Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis – Saturday, May 1 at Sedgwick County Park

Great Strides: Taking Steps to Cure Cystic Fibrosis is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s largest national fundraising event.

Relay for Life – Friday, June 11-Saturday, June 12 at Collegiate High School

Proceeds benefit The American Cancer Society. At Relay, teams of people camp out and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event.

Greater Wichita Start! Heart Walk – Saturday, June 12 at Cessna Stadium

As the American Heart Association’s signature fundraising event, the Start! Heart Walk promotes physical activity and heart-healthy living in a fun family environment.

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REALITY CHECK…

So there I was, just another Thursday in my cube. Around 11:30, I noticed my chest was starting to hurt. Thinking nothing of it, I moved on.

12:15: Chest is hurting badly now and I can’t catch my breath. I tell my boss that if I’m not feeling better by 1:00, I might go to the doctor.

1:00: I can’t breathe. I feel like Rosie O’Donnell is pogo-sticking on my chest and I’m sweating like a pig. Boss tells me to get to the doctor.

Driving to the hospital,  I was thinking to myself that this could be it. I know that at 32 I don’t fit into the age bracket, but I’m a recently-former smoker, obese, and I have a family history of heart issues. I’m scared. I start to think about my girls and my wife and what they would have to do without me around. I start to worry that if I get really bad, I’ll crash my car and hurt someone else, but mostly I worry about not looking into the three most beautiful pairs of blue eyes in all the world again.

I pull into the Wesley Emergency Room’s parking lot and sit and wait will two huge SUVs jockey for a parking spot. I think to myself, “I always knew those things would kill us. I just never figured it would be this directly.” I finally find a parking spot and walk – no, stagger – to the front door under the watchful eye of a few Sedgwick County EMS members. I lean on the front desk and manage to tell the girl behind the counter, “Chest hurts and I can’t breathe.”

I can’t tell you everything that happened in the next 30 minutes. Several people were asking questions and poking and prodding me. EKG’s and blood tests all happened in seconds. The Wesley team was flawless. The nurses, doctors and the nurse practitioner were amazing, a perfectly oiled group of professionals. Even in my discomfort they were kind, humorous and explained everything that was happening as it happened. The nurse practitioner diagnosed me, thankfully, as not having any heart issues, but that the problem probably was with my stomach or gall bladder. She said that she was going to give me something to drink that was “nasty” but that it would make me feel better. Jennifer, a WSU student nurse, brought the drink to me later and reaffirmed that it was gross. She smiled at me and said, “It’s just a shot, just shoot it like your buddy bought it for you.” They were right; it was nasty, made my tongue numb, and made me feel better within minutes.

I did a lot of really stupid stuff on this Thursday. I should have been more aware of the warning signs of a heart attack. I should have gone to the ER much sooner than I did. The first minutes after a heart attack are by far the most important to survival. I should not have driven myself. If my condition had deteriorated, I might have hurt someone else.

Thankfully it wasn’t a heart attack or anything terribly serious, but it did make me think. There’s a reason that you drag your tired butt to Shocker Fitness at O dark hundred, there’s a reason that you go to the gym after you’ve worked all day and made dinner and helped with homework or whatever it is, there’s a reason that you crawl out of your warm bed and run out into the darkness.

So no longer am I going to worry about the look of my body but really start to focus on the workings of my body. I’ve got lots of good reasons – family, friends, the good people who spend their valuable time reading my articles.

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As it turns out, there’s a thriving scuba community in ICT, and after my “Discover Scuba” class Sunday, I can certainly see why. Even though I was only in the pool at the Heskett Center in just 4 feet of water… after about 15 minutes, I was hooked.

How did I get myself into this situation? I started out investigating this elusive scuba scene by interviewing a scuba instructor who is probably familiar to many: Dave Freeman, chief meteorologist for KSNW. He literally lit up as he talked about diving. He has been a certified instructor since 2004, and is a member of the professional diving association known as PADI, or Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Dave gives lessons in conjunction with Adventure Sports owner Rob Blake. To become certified to go on a dive, you need to do classroom work (which can be done at home, using videos or the Internet) and then demonstrate what you learned in an open-water environment – which means a trip to the Heskett Center pool.

After getting certified, groups of divers from Wichita frequently go on trips to lakes nearby in Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Unfortunately for us, Kansas doesn’t have any bodies of water with visibility to make a dive worthwhile. Dave specifically mentioned Tenkiller Lake in Oklahoma, which excited me, since it has some interesting Cherokee history behind it and the towns nearby. It’s beautiful country there, too; there are other great places to dive nearby, including the Bonne Terre Mine in Missouri. This former rock quarry is now used as a tourist attraction and for diving, featuring 100 feet of clear water and very interesting mining equipment to see, rock formations, and other things that remain a mystery until you go! The idea of diving into an abandoned mine is scary… and thrilling. Dave had a few tales to tell of diving off the coast and seeing shipwrecks that certainly got my interest.

Of course, people learn to dive so they can be ready when heading out for more exotic locations. Coral reefs are usually what we all think of when we hear the word “scuba.” Dave mentioned that he’d been lucky enough to see moray eels, a manta ray, and while diving in Cozemul, he spotted the Splendid Toadfish – they only can be found in Cozemul, making it very special.

Like any sport, scuba has formed a club, and Dave Freeman is the president. Going by the name Do-Dah Divers, they meet fairly often and share the enthusiasm for being underwater. While I was taking my lesson, I met several people who were part of the group, and everyone I met was extremely helpful, friendly, and excited to introduce me to scuba. At the end, they weren’t in the least surprised to find out that I was addicted to the sensation and eager to learn more about getting into certification and going on a trip in the future.

Of course, everything has a cost. Open Water Diver Class has two parts, and each costs $150. This covers both your “classroom time” and your time in the pool. You spend one weekend working on Part One, and the following month, you do Part Two, at which point you earn your certification to be an Open Water Diver under the PADI system. $300 might seem a bit high, but this is a lifetime certification. There are no yearly dues, although diving insurance is recommended. And, personally? I’m thinking I was planning on selling my old car anyway, so maybe I can trade out one hobby for another.

Anyone else interested in putting on flippers? Have you been scuba diving? Tell us all about it!

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Shoes

Get the right shoe for the job.  If you don’t plan on jogging/running too much, then a standard pair of cross trainers are going to do great things for you.  However, if you want to punish the pavement a little bit, get good running shoes.  Your knees, hips, ankles, shins and back will thank you.  Get fitted for these by someone who knows what they are doing.  We have a great running store right here in Wichita at First Gear (111 N Mosley Street). Go see them and they will analyze how you walk and get you into the right shoe.

Underthings

Spandex is your friend.  I’ll give you a minute to go get your mental bleach and get that image out of your head.  I don’t care who you are, a pair of compression shorts under your workout gear will make your life so much easier and less painful.  I won’t go into details here but will say this, friction when it comes to your brakes is a good thing, when it comes to a night out with your special somebody, it’s a great thing, but when it comes to your legs and arms?  Worst. Thing. Ever.

Outerwear

Thankfully we’re getting to the time of year that shorts and a T-shirt are acceptable workout clothing options.  However, your favorite cotton shirt may not be the best option.  Cotton soaks up liquid and gets heavy and smelly quick.  The newest technical fabrics are marvelous; they wick away sweat and keep you cool as you workout.  You can spend a BUNCH of money on this stuff but if you keep your eyes peeled you can find even plus sized workout gear for as little as $10 a piece

Those are the basics. Of course there are GPS units, Mp3 players and all sorts of other gadgets out there that you can drop all sorts of coin on, but that’s for another time.  Right now, just get started.

Look both ways out there kids and I’ll see ya next week.

Is there a piece of equipment you wouldn’t be caught dead at the gym without?  Is there a killer app that will make me run like Usain Bolt?  Shout it out in the comments.

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So, here I am, 6’5″, 350 lbs. and needing to drop some weight in a hurry.  According to my good doctor, all of the hobgoblins of being fat are banging at my door,  High blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attacks – OH MY.  But seriously, I am the proud and loving dad of two beautiful girls and I have a wife who loves me more than I deserve, so I owe it to them and myself to be a healthier dad/husband/hunk ‘o’ burnin’ love.

So, after seeing my good buddy Carly make herself accountable to all of our good readers by committing to run a 5K, I’m going to do the same.  Every week, I’m going to tell you what and how I’m doing to drop some pounds. And hopefully I’ll show you that this is doable by a guy who loves to eat, hates to work out and is in generally worse shape than you are.

So here’s the plan:

Cardio – I will be doing the Couch to 5K program.  I did this before several years ago and dropped a ton of weight.  It’s a 30 minute jog/walk program. By the end, you’re actually running/jogging/walking really fast, all while praying for it to end.

Weights – I found a program on the Interwebs that builds over a 12-month time frame and results in you being a big ripped pile of muscles.  Now let’s be serious, that ain’t gonna happen.  But according to my research, lifting weights allows you to still burn calories long after you leave the gym, so I’m going to try it, as getting something for nothing really appeals to me.

Diet – Ack, and to paraphrase the Bard, “As I hate hell do I hate the oh diet.” The good news is that as a big guy, I can still down 3,000 calories and lose weight, for a while at least.  So my goal is to eat more often, eat less when I do and somehow manage to skip all of the delicious naughtiness that I dream of.

Oh, and as an added bonus, I’m quitting smoking too.  This should be interesting.  Now, if it will be interesting in a Rudy kind of way or a Hindenburg kind of way remains to be seen.  I look forward to your help, encouragement and, if nothing else, your blatant and brutal mocking.

Any hints or tips as I take this on?  Shout them out in the comments.  I’ll see you in a couple of weeks!

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During this time every year, gym parking lots seem to be noticeably fuller. You can’t walk right on to the elliptical and you have to squeeze into your normally not-so-crowded Pilates class. Gym rats everywhere know exactly what I’m talking about; January, February, and March are the highest traffic times for commercial gyms. Fresh off the New Year’s Resolution train, people of all ages are hitting the gym in their quest to “exercise more.”

So if you haven’t already bailed on this resolution or are stepping up your fitness game, consider these local favorites.

The major players:

• YMCA. This is undoubtedly the most popular choice. The YMCA is a household name and it seems like everybody has Y membership. With a variety of membership options and class programs for youth, adults, seniors and families, the YMCA is truly a family oriented establishment. There are also various financial assistance options available as well, so getting in shape doesn’t have to cost you a fortune.
• Genesis Health Club. I’ll be honest; I think this place is a bit snooty.  Or maybe I think that because I’m the least hardcore person I see when I go there. I’m a member here because my employer offers a huge discount (I pay about $20 a month for premium membership.) If I didn’t get this discount, I would not go here. However, they have nice equipment, the class selection is diverse, and the facilities are clean. Genesis has four Wichita locations and and facilities in Salina and Hutchinson.

What about those 24 hour places? Good question. If you get the urge to pump some iron at 2 am, these may be a good fit for you.

• Anytime Fitness has east, west, and Augusta locations. It has all the major amenities from weights to personal training to tanning available 24 hours a day, but condensed to a smaller square foot area.
• Fitness 2000 Health Club has a co-ed and a women’s club in town. This center offers more major activity options than Anytime Fitness, including a pool, hot tub, sauna, and steam room, but is still the same basic concept. Fitness 2000 also has a restaurant and free nursery services.
• Shocker Fitness is all the rage with the verb [ICT] team. Carly’s “Running Just as Fast as I Can” column inspired other staff writers to go back to school with Coach Bolt too. You probably won’t be seeing me at Shocker Fitness anytime soon; it’s just not my thing. I left group workouts behind when I retired from organized sports in high school. However, they are having a blast and are still alive too.
• Another great option is taking a course at Wichita State University. The Human Performance Studies program has everything from Horsemanship to Jiu Jitsu (I had to Google that to find out what it was too). Being a student at WSU always gives you free access to the Heskett Center gym which has a pool, weight and circuit rooms and dance studios.

If none of these are your style, there’s always a good old fashion run around down the street. I personally enjoy the security of not being a moving target while working out, but that’s just me!

Where do you like to work out? Sound off in the comments.

image source

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Kansans work hard to debunk the idea that our state is flat. Outsiders like to make fun of Kansas, complaining about the endless seas of grasslands without trees or mountains to break up the view. A Kansan will sputter and argue, usually pointing out the truly beautiful, gently rolling Flint Hills. Even in Wichita, people point out that the College Hill area is “hilly” compared to the rest of the city.

Yet, let the snow fall and we all fold on the issue. Admit it, it’s just too flat here for good sledding. Does that stop the people of Wichita? Of course not. Ingenuity combined with a certain ability to disregard rules and carefree attitude about life and limb mean that anyone can find somewhere to go sledding.

First, you have to get a sled. Traditional sleds with metal runners on them aren’t very useful unless you have packed snow or a sturdy layer of ice. They can be hard to find and also expensive. More popular are the disc sleds, which resemble an oversized trash can lid flipped upside down. There are also flat sleds made of semi-flexible plastic that are rectangular like traditional sleds, and these are great for piling two (or more) kids on. All that aside, anything can be a sled. People I talked to spoke of using the lids off large Rubbermaid containers as sleds, a few mentioned going sledding using inner tubes as if they were at the lake, and personally I can remember stealing vinyl coated tablecloths from my grandmother’s cabinets to use one year. Only one year, however; her wrath made me rethink my options the next time around.

Once you have something that has a smooth and somewhat slick surface, you’re ready to go. So, where? If you drive down Kellogg, you’ll see kids and adults sledding down the embankments around the exits off the highway. Does that seem dangerous to you? Sure, and illegal, too. It has some pretty serious perks that you can’t deny, though. One, it’s a good steep surface. Two, it’s undisturbed snow: nobody has walked through it, or driven on it until the sledders get there. Three, sometimes dangerous is FUN.

Another really popular spot? The Big Ditch. Known formally as the Wichita-Sedgwick County Flood Control Diversion Canal, it has areas that are perfect for sledding. I asked about a dozen people, and they pretty much all said the best place to go was near the 25th Street area. Technically this is also illegal, so I can’t advocate trespassing there, but I can tell you from experience that there is good sledding to be had.

If you choose to sled in the Big Ditch, or if you decide to look for a steep spot outside city limits, be aware of fences. Barbed wire is hard to see if it’s under a drift of snow. As you might imagine, crashing into a barbed wire fence, or an electrified fence, would put a damper on your day. Also, be aware if you’re trespassing. The average farmer or property owner won’t mind if you want to sled because they have a steep spot on their land, but it’s always polite to ask if you can.

At least four people told me about being pulled along on their sleds by four-wheelers. I’m guessing this isn’t something that can be done in most parts of Wichita itself, but outside city limits. Then again, who says on a snow day that a four-wheeler pulling a sled down a residential road wouldn’t be a neighborhood hit? I’m thinking a budding entrepreneur could even charge for rides.

In the true spirit of sledding determination, I once saw a small boy tie a round sled to his Big Wheel with a jump rope. Peddling ferociously, he was pulling his younger sister down the sidewalk. As they went by me, all I could hear her say was “Wheeeeee!”

What’s your favorite sledding destination in Wichita?

image credit

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I didn’t want to let Allie down, though, so I stayed sober on New Year’s Eve, went home before midnight and mentally prepared to run the next day. I woke up early and ate some carbs. I think you’re actually supposed to eat carbs the night before to prepare, but I had filled up on cupcakes, so I figured eating some bread the day of wouldn’t hurt. Then I picked Allie up and we went to the YMCA Downtown to get our race on.

In the parking lot we helped each other pin our race numbers on our backs (which made me feel so official) and then walked to meet up with the group. Upon arrival, we realized we were actually supposed to put the numbers on the front. This would come back to haunt us later. For now, though, we tried our best to stretch and move to get warmed up. Twenty-degree weather was not exactly optimal for the run, but we made do. The start gun went off and the 5K began.

There were YMCA staff cheering us along as we jogged/walked the path. By mile two, we were almost in last with only a few people behind us. In our defense, we did stop to help a YMCA staffer and her daughter try to get their glove out of the river. I’m not sure how it got there, but being the concerned citizens we are, we stopped to help. Okay, okay. We really just wanted a break to stop and this was the perfect excuse. What of it? Anyway, around mile 2.5 people were racing towards us. I got scared. Were we really not almost done? Did we have to go back along the path again? Can I pretend to pass out now and get out of this? I asked a staffer what was happening and as the people sprinted past us, he nonchalantly said, “Oh, they’re just doing a cool down.” So not only are we dead last at this point but people are now lapping us while they do their cool downs?!? Get out!

As we turned the corner on 3rd Street we could see Broadway, where the finish line was. I was so excited. The end was in sight. Then a YMCA staff member at the finish line yelled out, “Are you guys with the race?” I could have died of embarrassement right then. Instead I yelled back, “Yes. We’re running just as fast as we can” (I knew that line would come in handy!) and then laughed the rest of the way to Broadway. If we would’ve had our race numbers on the front he could’ve seen we were with the racers, but apparently we were so far behind everyone else that he wasn’t clear if we were racing or just happened to be in the middle of the path. Anyway, when we turned on Broadway, the staffer who had yelled got in the middle of us, grabbed our hands and jogged with us through the finish line. We finished. Sure, when we turned around at the end, the staff were already packing up to go home, having been waiting so long for us to finish, but regardless…WE DID IT. It felt good.

So I guess in the end, my impulsivity actually worked to my advantage for once. Instead of prolonging it, I did the 5K now. I set a goal and accomplished it. It feels good. Mentally, anyway. Physically, my abs still hurt. I can’t tell if that’s from the race or from laughing so hard.

So, what’s next for me? Well I plan to adopt the motto, “And I ran. I ran so far away. I just ran. I ran all night and day” because you can’t go wrong with a little Flock of Seagulls, right?

On a serious note, although this will be my last “Running Just As Fast As I Can” column, my plan is to continue running. My new goal is to see how many 5Ks I can do in a year and see how much I can improve my time every race. Also I’d like to do the 5K next January 1st and not finish last. Or at least not be lapped by people who are just cooling down.

Related posts:

1. [move] Running Just As Fast As I Can – Week 1
2. [move] Running Just as Fast as I Can: Week 8
3. [move] Running Just As Fast As I Can: Week 4