Eric J. Gruber

This weekend, I fulfilled in a longtime goal of mine and completed my first 5k run.

The run was the Summer Sizzler, which was at 9 p.m. Saturday. Let me tell you, it was beautiful weather for running. The temperature was perfect, and the post-dusk running environment made it an excellent choice for a first jab at running a 5k. (Proof: I’m barely visible in this picture. See the upper right hand side; my goatee stands out as it is a hairy beast at the moment.)

I ended up meeting my two goals for the race: don’t die, and finish. Out of 219 runners, I finished 181st; achievements unlocked!

This was a important race for me. After being laid out a few months ago with a bad back, I was determined to do something to push me to the opposite end of the pain spectrum. If I was going to hurt, it would be from my own effort, not because my body was breaking down from too much desk work.

The race, as it turned out, was much easier than I expected. Perhaps that was from the two months of training I went through (give or take) using the training guide (pdf) from another popular area run.

I was five minutes into my run and thinking “I can’t believe I’m really doing this.” I’m not one of those skinny mini runners; I’ve got some bulk to lose for sure. But I did it, and that was really all that mattered. Now, I was a little sore on Sunday (my calves felt like bocce balls), but it wasn’t that bad. Overall, it was just a tired, worn out feeling.

I remember when I got the idea to run a 5K. I had just moved to Lawrence and caught the beginnings of an early morning race on Sunday by accident. That was eight years ago. The thought was in my head that I’d like to try that “someday,” but never got around to it.

I suppose I can check it off my list now. I have to give a big thanks to my friend Sara who told me about the race and was my running partner. I’m not sure I would have done it without her prodding.

Have you ever wanted to do something but never got around to it? Don’t waste any time, my friends. It’s worth pursuing your dreams.