Run Clare, Run!

I am not a runner. In middle school a friend talked me into joining the track team to increase my fitness for skating, and I did the long jump event. On vacations up north in high school I'd try to go running with my friends and turn back early. In college my friends and I made bucket lists, years before bucket lists were a thing. I put "run a 5K" on my list right alongside things like climb a mountain and meet Michelle Kwan. That's about how realistic I thought it was. 

In early 2006 I decided I wasn't getting any younger and my knees weren't getting any better- it was now or never for the 5K so I used a couch to 5K program and ran in the Dexter-Ann Arbor Run. A year later I ran again, and cut 3 minutes off my time. Then, I moved to Argentina and did a small bit of jogging from time to time, but not much. Everywhere I go I seem to find myself in the midst of runners- Katie and Cora in Ann Arbor, Rebecca, Donna, and Joanna in Argentina, then a whole lot of people here. About this time last year my friends convinced me that I should run a December 10K with them. I was doubtful that it was physically possible, but I trained for it  and dragged myself across the finish line (which by the way, ended up being more like 11.7K). I wanted to be sure I got back in the running habit after Mike and Sara's Christmas visit, so I ran a second 10K in a early February. 

This past week I did possibly the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life: I signed up for a half marathon at Angkor Wat in December. I just may come home in a body bag. I know I've felt that way about shorter distances before, but this time I really do have significant doubts. To make matters worse, my training program is supposed to start Monday, but I've had some major pinched nerves in my neck and the past week and unable to do anything much at all. Hopefully that will get sorted out soon so I can start getting some miles in. I still don't really like running or consider myself a runner but somehow I thought this would be a good idea. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it! 

I finished!

We ran the 10.5k except, this is Thailand, so it turns out it was 11.7k instead. Ha. No wonder it felt SO long. I can't believe I ran nearly 20% farther than any other time in my life! If you had told me at the starting line, I don't know if I I would have started, but hey, I finished anyway. And today, I took the elevator.  

Before the race...

Crossing the finish line! 

Yes, we ran with the antlers for the most part. A few spots where it was windy so I took them off, but they didn't bother me as much as I thought they would. Also, I have no idea why I have to turn sooo red when I run! 

Many thanks for my friend Karly for the pictures! (And for encouraging me so much the past two months of training!) 

Running. It's good for me.

Several of my good friends are running a 10k in December, and in a moment of weakness, I agreed to join them. I have never run that far in my life. I can count on one hand the number of times I ran more than 3 miles, much less 6. But I'm going to try, because this running thing is good for me. 

Running is good for being healthy and getting back in shape and releasing endorphins and all that stuff. But it has an additional benefit to me, despite the sore ankles, shins, and knees and the painful left hip. You see, I suck at running. I am slow. I don't get very far. And usually, I don't like to do things I suck at. Really, who does? But sometimes it is good for me to do things that are harder for me than everybody else, to go to the race with my friends knowing that I will be the last across the line. It's humbling, even though nobody really cares. 

It's not that running is the only thing that I'm not very good at, but it is something that I'm not good at and I do anyway. And that is good for me. Shin splints and all. 

The Bangkok Marathon

I ran the Bangkok Marathon today, but it's not what you might think. I didn't run the full marathon, nor the half marathon, nor the mini (10k) marathon.  I ran the micro (5k) marathon :)  I am not a runner, even though I've always had runner friends.  In high school I'd run when we were on vacation with my friends and their family, but I could never keep up with them.  Running was just not my thing. 

 After college, I my runner friends and I became roommates, and I watched them run day after day. I looked at my "bucket list" (which, I might add, I made long before the movie!) and it had "run a 5k" on it.  At 25 years old I decided I wasn't getting any younger and my knees weren't getting any better: it was now or never. So I did the couch potato to 5k training program and ran a 5k.  I loved it! I was so worried about just being able to finish that I had lots left in the tank at the end.  I ran again the next year and finished in a lot less time. 

Since then, I've run on and off, but never in an organized race.  One of my good friends in Argentina was a serious runner (she has since completed an ironman race!!!) and she inspired me to at least push myself a little harder when I ran, but still, I wasn't really going very far or very fast. 

More of the ICS 5k crew

Running in Bangkok has been a bit difficult to do real regularly.  There are few hours of the day when you can run (and in the hot season? forget about it!) and there aren't many places to run due to the lack of sidewalks and the plethora of street dogs.  But a few months ago I convinced my friend to run the Bangkok 5k- she had never run a race before and really wasn't sure she could do it.  But we signed up, along with a lot of other people from school (many of the more serious runners at ICS skipped this race because they are doing a half marathon at Angkor Wat in two weeks). 

When we signed up I was a bit surprised and disappointed to see that the 5k runners wouldn't be timed.  But today I found out why: many many many of them were walking.  And taking pictures along the way. I should have known- this is Thailand!  But despite dodging the walkers, it was a lot of fun.  I lost my friends in the crowd (HUGE!) while we were actually running, but we were able to find each other again afterward.  It's inspiring ya know, doing these races.  I might even try to train for the 10k next year... 

Sidenote: In Thailand you don't run a "5k" or "10k" you run "5 kilo" or "10 kilo". It makes me laugh every time I hear it :)