RUNNING: The Reggae Run

The story behind the Reggae Run is a very sad one: The 5K race was initiated in 1994 to commemorate the life of Maria Olberding who was slain that year while running in Mt. Lookout.

The challenging 5K course is followed by a great party with more than 30 food stands, beer, and live Reggae music. Having fun and doing something good go hand in hand because the proceeds from the event go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. To get a better picture of the whole event, check out the Race's website at http://www.reggaerun.com/

For the really nice guy and me, it was the second race we did together. His pace is much faster than mine and I'm used to losing sight of him when we are running. It was great to see him waiting for me at the finish-line like in his pre-running days when he was watching me race.

None of us set a personal record but the whole atmosphere during the run and at the party afterwards made more than up for it.

And in case you were wondering how this photo fits in - there are people that quit running (at least for the day) to take up smoking...

I'll keep you posted.

Bis bald,
SAPgirl

RUNNING: Here we go again!

I joined a running group a year ago to prepare for my first 10K ever which was held Thanksgiving Day 2004. I had just started running at that time, didn't really enjoy it that much (I've done sports all my life and two minutes into running I'm gasping for air, feeling really out of shape and just wanting to spend the rest of the day on the sofa to recover from exhaustion...). I hoped the peer pressure of a group would help - in a misery loves company kind of way. It did - I finished the 10K and then some.

And a year later I am still running.

Now, last Saturday, the really nice guy and I had our first training with that running group together. Let me clarify something, though. Somehow, because we are dating a lot of people seem to think that I forced him to start running. How could I? First of all, I wouldn't want to date anyone who does everything I tell him and he is really not that type of guy. And black-mailing isn't really my thing, either: Honey, if you don't run with me I'll run away?!? Obviously, you haven't seen me running. At races, I get passed by walkers of the age group 60-65 (that has happened!). Not much of a threat there.

Back to Saturday.

The whole purpose of this training was to determine what group we belong in once the training starts. So we warmed up for ten minutes, ran another ten, and once we crossed the imaginary finish line everyone received a little piece of paper with a number on it that represented the group we made it into. You already know that I am not the fastest but at least I'm consistently slow and found myself in group 3 - again (with group 1 being the walkers...). The really nice guy made it into group 5. Really! I'd say it must have been my splendid training (we've been running together for a little bit over two months now) but he says that the real reason is that he has an athlete inside. I wonder what's inside of me then. A Sumo wrestler?!?

I'll keep you posted.

Bis bald,
SAPgirl