In Which I Complete My First Timed 10K

Lady Scientist S asked Lady Scientist J and I to join her on the Heart Group's Cinco de Mayo 10K Race/Walk today. This was the 30th annual running of this race, and exactly 742 people walked or ran it. The first half of the race was uphill, from a local high school through a golf resort and residential community. Although I've hiked many a longer trail (with and without Mr. Big and Pestica, and often with Librarian M), I haven't walked 6 consecutive miles at a fast pace since last summer, when I was helping Lady Scientist J train for her 3-day cancer walk. It was also my first timed 10k. My finishing time: 1 hour, 39 minutes (sustained pace of 3.8 mph). I am very pleased.

And will publicly announce that I think I will do the half-marathon here in town Dec. 12. This is a milestone birthday year, and I feel the need to mark in it some dramatic way by doing something I've never done before. I've never been interested in doing a marathon until about 2 weeks ago, when the idea sprang on me out of nowhere. I think it's a great idea. I can test the strength of my middle-aged body and see what needs to be taken care of before it's too far gone. I love to walk, and this will challenge me to walk more while training for it. And I suspect the sense of accomplishment will be very empowering.

There. Now I've said it publicly. I'll have to do it.