The weather today is perfect for a 5k. Good thing, because that's exactly what some family members and I are doing today. The weather is slightly overcast with smidgens of sun, and the light breeze keeps the temperature around 64 degrees.
We are up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at the Runners Alley Red Hook Memorial 5k Road Race. This means when we are done, there is free food for runners and also a free beer. All of the proceeds are donated, and 100% of the profits go to a charity for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries.
Three of my immediate family and one extended family member are running the race today, and by "running" I mean THEY are running and I am walking really fast. I have always been a sprinter not a miler, and no amount of training can change my bad habits. This means that my niece finishes in about 20 minutes, my sister in about 30 minutes, and I bring up the rear at about 43 minutes.
To be honest, I do jog the first half mile and several spurts thereafter, but my body doesn't respond well internally to this whole running for long distances thing. I tend to get physically sick, so I know my limits. When I start to feel crappy, I just walk until about the last one hundred yards. Also, I am still recovering from a bruised ankle bone that left me unable to walk just seven days ago. Around the two-mile mark, my braceless ankle starts talking to me, and I don't mean sweetly.
In other words, I am making up random excuses as to why I am so frigging slow.
Either way, the weather cooperates, the company is wonderful, and the course (almost 100% flat grade) is amazingly forgiving. People are great -- chatting up at the starting gate, bands playing, cheering us as we run and as we cross the finish line, and knocking plastic cups with us in cheer after it's over.
My unofficial results are that I finish 121st in my age group for women. I'll take it! Other than the fact that I'm ready to conk out sleeping at 5:00 p.m., it is a banner day for success.
