When I was a kid, my parents would sign me up for some organized races. As I started gaining weight, races were no longer fun for me because I was so far behind the other kids. Needless to say, I would never consider myself a competitive runner. I am avid sprinter, but I consider 1 mile to be long distance. I wouldn’t even consider long-distance running to be effective basketball training.
So why would I run a 5K?
When Kevin Hart came to Portland for his tour, he hosted a free 5K with Nike on the waterfront. So I figured, why not? Part of it was my desire to compete in organized events. There’s nothing like showing up, getting a free shirt, and performing. I love being a coach and organizing workouts/open gyms for others. But that also means I rarely get a chance to be a participant.
Most importantly, I rarely try anything new when it comes to athletics or physical performance. I usually stick to hoops and sprints with a few high-intensity circuits thrown in. This race definitely tested me and brought me outside of my comfort zone. It’s important that we are looking for ways to challenge us. I don’t see myself going on a longer race, simply because my frame does not fit long-distance running. But I may do another 5K in the future. The athlete in me wants to beat my time.
