I ran a 5K this morning. A real organized event with other people at the same place at the same time. The local running club I joined just before COVID shutdown happened has these "tortoise and hare" races once a month from October thru April.
Other regularly scheduled events over the summer were run "virtually". Pay a registration fee, go run a certain distance using an app, upload the "race", get a shirt or whatever. Yeah, no. The fun for me (and most participants) is the running and racing with others. Today's 5K was the first in a long time.
In short, for tortoise and hare races, runners start at different time intervals based on predicted pace. Slower runners start ahead of faster ones with the fastest people starting last, trying to catch the people ahead.
I ended up passing everyone in front of me and leading for the final mile. This was a blessing and a curse because I was unfamiliar with the course/area and veered off course at the start of the homestretch. I still finished first, but ran farther than I needed to. So there I was coming into the finish at right angle to the actual course. Not embarrassing at all!
Note that I did not run the fastest, I just passed the tortoises in front of me while keeping the hares behind me at bay. It was actually quite fun despite my fumbled finish. It was just nice to participate in a group event. There were rules requiring masks and keeping people from gathering, but it was certainly better than nuthin'.
The park where the race was held wasn't far from home, so I jogged to and from. As I was returning home, I got a text from a girl at work. Could I finish out her shift for her? I was looking forward to a shower and potato time, but I figured she wasn't feeling well or she wouldn't have asked. Fine, I would only be there for about three hours.
After a shower and food, I went in, hoping she didn't have any COVID symptoms. Our workplace has put strict rules in place, keeping staff away for even the mildest of symptoms. We are already short staffed because of a few people with cold symptoms that likely just have colds.
I went in and learned that the girl I was replacing was suffering with a UTI, thank goodness. No, wait, UTIs suck!
But hey, it's not COVID. Another small victory.
3 comments:
yes, small victory. I would also take a UTI over Covid.
Nice job Abby! I have to admit I giggled a bit when you went a bit off course but doesn't matter you did it and did it well!
At least UTI's aren't contagious! Not fun (so I hear) but certainly more treatable than that dang covid.
And congrats on the race - keeping the hares at bay after giving them a bit of extra handicap!
Peggy, it was honestly quite embarrassing, but at least I think everyone at the finish who was paying attention realized I'd actually run farther rather than less!
Brian, right, no quarantine for a UTI!
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