I never thought I’d ever say this. But sometimes it pays to be ignorant. As a parent and an advocate of education, this really is a hard thing for me to admit.
Yet, the reality is that, it is because I was ignorant of what I had gotten myself into that I can make this statement: I did it! I have run my first competitive 4-mile race. Yes!
Was it or wasn’t it?
Well, I can make the statement with some disclaimers. Since I listened to my marathon-running husband and didn’t register for the option to log my time, I guess it really wasn’t a competitive run. But if you count that I was running against myself as my greatest competitor, then maybe it was. Hummm?
And, when it’s considered that about 21 minutes was the longest I could run (perhaps trot or jog would be a more accurate description 🙂  ) without walking, there may be those who would challenge what I really was doing Thursday evening at the annual Friends of the River  was running.
Commitment
Which brings me back to the role of ignorance. I’m a walker. Have been for some 15+ years. But I made the commitment about a month ago to transition from a trophy-winning 5K walker to an-I’ll-just-be-glad-to-survive 5K runner.
So, when I saw the email that Trinity River Campus faculty and staff were going to come together to participate in this event and that spouses could come, I thought this will be a great benchmark for my inaugural 5K run in about five weeks.
In the haste to sign up, there was a lot of skimming so it was not until after the two-milers were well on their way that I grasped the harsh reality that the remaining event would stretch along a four-mile course. Yikes!
What’s a woman to do? Well, I did what any self-respecting fish out of water would do: Â I Dove Right In!
Challenging
It was trying as I knew it would be, especially since:
- In my walk-run self-training, I was barely up to 20-minute intervals,
- It took place at the end of the day and I’m accustomed to getting my nature fix a full 12-13 hours earlier; and,
- The weather decided to play havoc and intervene by scurrying gusty winds through Fort Worth as a forerunner to a cold front.
While I wouldn’t recommend that anyone unwittingly run a longer race in preparation for one nearly a mile shorter, I must say that I’m glad I didn’t chicken out. I’m actually the better for it as I bested my endurance by one whole minute, not once–but TWICE!
Official runner
Well, the jury of one is in. Despite the overwhelming preponderance of evidence of the ignorance barometer in this case, let the record reflect that Rita Lorraine  Booker Parson, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth, wife of Kenneth, mother of Samuel and Matthew,  who blazed across the finish line with seconds to spare before the clock hit 56 minutes, is hereby recognized  as an official “runner.”
Look out, all you veterans, there’s another pair of running shoes on the trails!
Maybe you can catch me in a few weeks kicking up dust at Tarrant County College’s inaugural Toro Dash Dec. 1. Hope to see you there!