@Region Philbis,
I just got back from the Samaritans' 5K. I arrived late, just as the runners were
set to go. I hustled on over to the registration table and hastily pinned my number
on. I turned and looked toward the start. There was no one there. So I set off
after them. As I ran across the parking lot, someone called my name. It was
Region Philbis. He said he wasn't running. I replied that I didn't know how long
I'd be running. I hadn't jogged in three weeks.
Now if you've hurt your foot and have taken three weeks off to let it heal, there
is no better way to ease back into jogging than to run in a 5K road race. Or not.
But I'd signed up for his race a while ago and figured, what the heck. If my foot
had problems I'd just slow down to a walk. Or limp.
One thing that's fun about starting way in the back, or in this case after the race
is underway, is that you get to pass a lot of people. It makes you feel like you're
doing a lot better than you really are. I passed people walking, people pushing
strollers, people with dogs on leashes. And group of attractive young women
chatting merrily as they ran. I stayed behind them for a while. That was fun,
but eventually I passed them too.
I met Region at the finish and true to the Samaritan race's namesake, he had
a cup of water for me. We shot the breeze a while and waited for Jespah.
She put on a strong finish, probably setting a new Personal Best for herself.
After a bit of socializing, we parted company. I didn't wait to see the results
posted. I had achieved my goal: finishing on my feet and not limping.
