My No Boundaries 5K leader, Jeff Wells of Fleet Feet Louisville, regularly insists that training is “fun”. “We’re going to have fun, here!” he’ll enthuse, right before leading a group of winded running newbies into the 45-degree rain for a session.Or demonstrating all the massage gadgets we might need to soothe tired/sore/injured body parts.
Every time he holds up anti-chafing gel or points out the gadget that will fix our collectively aching knees, I am reminded of a favorite line from The Princess Bride. The villain Vizzini has just declared another in a long of line of happenings “inconceivable” when good guy Inigo Montoya rebuts:
“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
I’ve taken to muttering this phrase under my breath whenever Jeff tells us we are having, will have, or have had F-U-N. It would make for an excellent drinking game were it not for the fact that I have to run and hardly drink.
Anyway, tonight was group session 3 and total session 4. It was cold and raining—nach einmal—and today we ran a bit more than we did last week. Many in the group couldn’t quite run the whole time we were supposed to. Many were adjured to walk a little faster during the walking portions. “This is a work-out!” one of the coaches would bellow. We all need to walk a little faster.”
Two things come to mind. The first, upon learning that Jeff ran a 54-mile race in rural South Africa, is that perhaps Jeff’s idea of fun and mine diverge. Because the idea that running 54 miles was fun? Inconceivable. I’d rather go through labor again; it only lasted 8 1/2 hours and I got a baby out of it.
The second, and I am terrified to commit this to type as I am sure it will jinx me soon, is that I am, in fact, having fun. I’m also the fastest by a wide margin in the run/walk group. At one point tonight I heard someone say “There goes Ms. Speedy”. And so far, thankfully, nothing hurts.
I can hardly believe what I’ve typed here. There’s still a long way to go before I cross the line of a 5K, and I’m still not sure I’ll be able to do it. But man if I’m not off to a better-than-expected start. You know what it is, right? Inconceivable!
If I can run a 5K without training (and without stopping), you can definitely do it, especially if you’re training for it! Go, Jessica!
But Christine, you are an Athlete (with a capital letter even). After all that biking and yoga for so many years, you could probably run a mini-marathon without training! My goal is to be in reasonable enough shape that when I come out this summer (probably June, need to get serious about ticket shopping) I don’t have to feel embarrassed around you and Kelley.