Run BlackGirl, (gasp...) Run!
It was almost a year ago that Namesake and me stood on Staromestka Namesti at the annual Tesco 5K Night Run, and as we watched the runners cross the finish line I declared that I planned to run my first race—a half marathon—in 2009. Which I did, and the summary of that race marked my last real blog post.
(The next post will give a quick summary of what I've been up to since that race. Promise. But please don't get excited—it ain't that much.)
I returned to the square again last night for this year's run. Namesake was there again for support and to capture the Kodak moments.
But was I in for a shock or what? 5K's are freaking intense! Unlike in a half-marathon or other longer races, there's no time to build momentum—the opening shot goes off and everyone starts flying. It was insane.
Before the race started, I had breezily told Namesake: “Don't go anywhere. I'll back in thirty.” Haha-ha. I was sucking wind 1km into the event.
This was not the same BlackGirl who cruised through a half-marathon in March. Sure my running regimen up until the race had been spotty. (On a few occasions I would show up at the gym, give the treadmills a passing glance and head for the sauna instead.) But left-over confidence (if there is such a thing) or plain naivete had me thinking the 5K would be a peach. And, and it also didn't help that I queued up at the end of the pack (a lesson for the future?); throughout the race it seemed I was trying to play catch-up and thus was running faster than I had anticipated.
On the final stretch down Parizska street I was oh-so-ready to give it up and start walking. Then I saw the finish line (Can I make it?) and the clock up ahead: 00:28:xx. (Oh yes you will! You are gonna make it under 30 if it kills you!) I tapped into the last bit of juice I had left, heart pounding and sprinted to a 00:28:08 finish. Woo-gasp-gasp-I-may-have-a-heart-attack-hoo.
Happy to report that BlackGirl Power was very much on display last night as Kenyans swept the three top spots in the race in under 16 minutes.
Call it the Tesco-5K effect—Namesake has now vowed to run the race with me next year!
7 comments:
AHHAHA seee same thing happened with my 5K. I thought I would have have a heart attack at the end. I think it's because, like u said, the race is short that most seasoned runners just take off sprinting and for some reason I felt this urge to catch up instead of just pacing myself.
Thanks for the (long overdue) update. Congrats on doing it at all. I have no capacity for running unless I am running away from danger, so I respect the grind!
@Online Books: I hear ya. At a point, I asked myself, "Who the hell are you trying to catch up to? The Kenyans?!" Ha.
@Camille: Ahoj! Thanks for checking in. How was Berlin? Running is 75% mental. You'd be surprise at how quickly your body takes to it. The mind though is another matter.
Berlin was great! Sad to have missed you in Prague. Another time, I hope!
Yeah maybe one day for me and running. I've tried in the past and it's always been a travesty.
uhmmm...why am I (kemi A.) coming up as "online books"? lol
You're "online books"? Haha! Very strange.
God only knows how much I hate running. How do you psych yourself up for these kind of things? Or, do you just enjoy running?
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