Race #1

I just finished my first 5K. My time was 41:49-- not great, by any means, but still an accomplishment for me. Thank you to Alan and Meredith for their pre/post race encouragement, to Amberly for cheering me on, and to RJ Corman who hosted the event. I talked with RJ for a bit while we were running and he turns out to be a very polite man, so it will be hard to still think of him as Wilmore's version of Mr. Burns (for those who don't know he is the millionaire up on the hill here).

The details? I ran, I walked, I watched quite a few people pass me and passed a couple myself. The hills were demoralizing, the onlookers were uplifting (except for the little girl who pointed at me and said "She's NOT going to win the race"!), and I appreciated the free spring water. Congrats to Meredith for placing-- we knew you'd do well.

Now I can see better the holes in my weekly routine. I'd like to keep running my whole life. My grandfather is a rather fit person for his age. He walks every day and has incredible endurance, which I learned all too well when he outdid Alan and I on a 5 mile hike in the snow (another blog post for another day). God willing, I will live to see 80 and still be out there jogging.

See Sarah run. Run, Sarah, run!

Once upon a time I was a college student. I lived on chicken patty sandwiches and canned pineapple all school year, spent most of my time planted in front of a computer or in class, and relaxed by "hanging out" (usually consisting of a bunch of friends sitting in someone's dorm room or a restaurant while eating crappy food).

One summer break I was at my grandparent's place in upstate NY when my younger cousin invited me for a run. I made it up one hill and down the next and almost died. I couldn't get back up once I was on the ground. My aunt had to get me with her car. I crawled into one of the bunk beds at the house and almost withered away with shame. 20 years old and I couldn't jog a 1/4 of a mile. But it was no wonder considering the way I took care of myself.

College came and went. Now here I am a few years later determined to live down the embarrassment of being young and out of shape. This is my second week of running and I hope to be fit enough to run a 5K at the end of June. (Special thanks to Meredith for inspiring me and keeping me accountable; please click on her blog link at the right to read her marathon story).

This is really a balancing process. I'm making up for all that inside, sedentary, philosophy time I spent in college by getting out, running around, looking at the stars, while still nurturing that part of me that likes to think deep and long. I'm learning that going for a jog and knitting, liking science and loving God, being a homebody and enjoying good company are not mutually exclusive.

So despite all the naysayers I'm going to run and I'm going to love it.