Eat My Dust

I finally did it!

I managed to get myself to join a fun run. This morning I participated in La Salle Cares' inaugural running event at The Fort, Taguig entitled, "One Run. One Family. One La Salle."

I pre-registered around May, I think. Mostly due to the egging of my co-workers. They had a 3km, a 5km and a 15km run. Since it was a couple of months ahead, I thought I'd just give in to them, register, and pray they forget about it by July. (Yes, I do pray. It's way easier than actually running) We registered for the 5km category. Yabang eh. And true enough, no one said a word. Until about a week before today. Bummer.

Jerry, one of my best buds at the office had been boasting that he's been practicing at an oval track near their place and that he's already been completing 5km for like two weeks already. That had me worried, so I immediately went downstairs... and smoked.

And then it hit me. I thought that I couldn't run like this. I couldn't run with Jerry more physically conditioned than I was. So I focused. I said to myself, I COULD DO IT! I WILL NOT GIVE THIS UP! So with just one week left, I did what I thought best would put me at par with Jerry's physical condition -- For the rest of the week, every night until the run, I asked him to drink with me. (It worked thrice!) I was supposed to ask him to drink with me again last night. He declined. I think he was already getting suspicious. It was good that he declined anyway. I didn't want the other runners leaving us way behind because our sweat smelled of Tanduay.

And so, mission accomplished. Today I ran. At 6:10 am.

You all should have seen me. It was raining. The road was a bit muddied. It felt like the theme from "Chariots of Fire" was playing in the background. I was running. I was fast.

I was lost.

The friggin' committee didn't field enough marshalls along the way. Not enough readable signs, and a lot of clueless runners in front of me. They missed a turn. And I followed. And lo and behold! The FINISH LINE!

What we finished was the 3km route. I already turned in my number when I found out. They already clocked me. I was thinking of going back to recover my lost 2km but since I already clocked in 20mins for the 5km I registered in, who's to argue?

Regardless of all the hassles, I had fun. I never thought I'd be joining something like this in my whole life. My motto has always been: NO PAIN, GOOD.

I'm kinda proud of myself. Maybe, there's hope for this lazy bum after all.