After learning about a few heart issues I have, I decided I needed to make some changes in my life, both with what I put into my body, as well as adding some regular exercise back into my daily routine. So, at the beginning of March, I signed myself up for a 5K. I felt like I needed something to keep me motivated, and signing up for the race was just that. I’ve been very good about running at least 3 times a week since then, and can now say that it’s a normal part of life.
Saturday is my 5K, and I haven’t done any races since before we moved out of Illinois. In fact, I think the last time was in 2002, when we did the Wacker Drive is Done Run.
If you have spent a lot of time in Chicago or are an avid “Blues Brother” fan, you probably know about Wacker Drive. If not, let me tell you that it’s a double-decker roadway in the city that was designed with the intent that local traffic use Upper Wacker, and through-traffic and trucks use Lower Wacker. By 2000, it was in pretty bad shape, and they closed it down to do much-needed reconstruction. Then, before the grand re-opening to traffic, they held a 5K!
Pretty unique reason to have a race, I would say.
The 5K I’m running on Saturday isn’t nearly as fun or interesting. But I am happy to know that I’m no longer the only one signed up for the race! I was relieved to see there are at least 39 others who will be throwing on their running shoes and velcroing their iPods to their arm that day.
Speaking of iPods, I need to put together a playlist just for the race. I don’t know about you guys, but I need a runnable beat. Maybe it’s my years of dance training or my years of marching band (yes, I admit it. I’m proud to be a former band nerd!), but my feet need to be hitting the ground in the tempo of the music in order for me to have music on at all.
I don’t remember the exact times of the previous 5Ks I ran, but I do know that I did them in less than 30 minutes. We’ll see how Race Day goes.
Wish me luck!
