Getting Back in the Groove

Well, it had to happen eventually. I was getting fed up with not getting enough running in, and after several months of not getting out there enough, it was time to hit the pavement and start getting back into running shape.

About a month ago, I found my motivation. The Takoma Park 5K (comically called the TKPK5K) was coming up, and that was all the motivation I needed. Well, it also helped that the entry fee was super cheap, the race took place 4 blocks from my house and after all that I have been through in the past weeks, having the fees go toward helping students have safer routes to school was all in my wheelhouse.

I hopped back on the treadmill and found that I was way out of shape from my normal rhythm. In my prime of high school, I was running around 7:30 minute miles. Not great, but not shabby either. Up until about two years, ago, I was sitting comfortably around 10-minute miles. Not great, but I'll take it. I'm not looking to break records, just finish and keep the ol ticker in good health. When I got on the treadmill about 45 days ago, it was rough. 12-minute miles. Damn, I felt like an 80-year-old up there. But screw it, I'm not gonna get all that normal pace back in 45 days, so I reluctantly decided to suck it up and just do it. So I ran a few times a week and got myself back into a comfortable pace.

Today was the race. I talked the wife into running it with me, though she has the knees of 120-year-old, and she's much better suited for biking and other aerobics; she's just not a runner. In any case, we ran it, and it went better than I expected. I finished in 35:51, which was 11:30 minute miles. And best of all, we had to stop three times to give the wife's knees a break. I think if she wasn't holding me back (heheheeheee, she'll love that), I think I could have hit around 10:30 minute miles without trouble. So I'm getting back into the game, and for now I'm thinking I can get to maybe 9:30 minute miles if I stay with it.

So I need to keep it up and stay in the game. And, I need to get the wife to run one more with me, because she beat me today and I can't let that stand! (OK, she admits that I let her win, but I'm proud of her for gutting it out and not letting that woman we passed catch up to us in the final sprint).