I Ran a 5K This Morning!

[Velocivixen]

So I took up running in the winter of 2009 and started with the Couch to 5K running program and completed it. I ran a few 5Ks and trained for and ran a 10K in 2010. I have essentially quit running because of a tight IT band that I don't regularly stretch. I do so many other things at the gym and including bicycling, that running has gone by the wayside. So my town is having a Celebration day (annual) with a parade, etc. and this year they had their first 5K & 1 mile run/walk. I wasn't sure I'd do it, then last minute I thought, "Why not?" I showed up and did it! I ran the entire way! Whoohoo. It was my slowest 5K ever, but considering my IT band was painful and I haven't run that far in more than 16 months I think I did just fine. I even was awarded a medal for finishing. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the run went along the parade route and folks were already getting their spots to watch the parade. I felt like they were there to cheer me on (even there was no cheering, except for one family with kids!). I said "good morning" to people and said "Hi" to the Police Volunteers (I'm a police volunteer, but didn't want to volunteer to stand around for 5 hours during a parade).
Anyway there was a 13 y/o boy who was walking during the last 1/4 mile or so and he looked discouraged. I ran up beside him and said to come on and we would finish together. He said he was new to running & that his dad told him that if he finished he would take him to Tom's Restaurant for waffles (they're famous for them), so I distracted him asking about what he was going to have on his waffles, etc. and before you know it we approached the finish line and I sprinted and said, "Come on, let's make a great finish". He crossed just before me to applause. Afterwards he came up and hugged me and his dad thanked me. I felt really good about encouraging him