My First 5K!

Last night, June 21, I accomplished a new "first": I completed my first 5K race!

The race-- the Oregon Road Runner's Club Summer Solstice Sundowner-- was a 5K run/walk on the Clackamas Community College campus. We began with part of a lap on the college track followed by two circuits of the campus-lapping jogging trail and ending with a sidewalk jog into the finishing gate. The weather was perfect: sunny and about 70 degrees. One of my English department colleagues joined me for the event, which made it even more fun.

Thanks to my right knee, which has no cartilage remaining (making me a radiological candidate for a total knee replacement per my orthopedist-- a procedure I intend to avoid for a good long time!), I couldn't run the course, but I walked briskly for the entire length. I took an hour and finished low on the list of times as most of the participants jogged or ran. But I wasn't last, and I had fun! Mostly I was just proud of myself for accomplishing my first road race-- I even had a real race number: 113.

And what a way to celebrate the summer solstice, which had rolled by on June 20 at 4:09 pm. Summer is a time of burgeoning growth, new plans and activities, and seeing hard work come to fruition. Since October 5, 2011, my family has been taking part in "Scott's Year of Fitness Challenge," named for my son, Scott. (Long story; more on this another time....) We've all been working hard since, and for me, this race tied these efforts, my improved fitness, and the solstice together in one neat bundle. Plus, it showed me that I can still meet a challenge, head-on, and succeed. I needed that. Happy summer, all!