Thursday, June 28, 2012

Well, I did it. Got caught up in the moment, borne by the glittering prospect of self-improvement, and before I knew it, I had committed forty-three dollars and sixty cents to my first 5K in recorded history. It’s scheduled for mid-November, which gives me ample time to– Exercise, I guess? Or quit, as the likelier case may be, but let us be optimistic for an evening.

On the surface of things, running simply calls for getting from one place to another. I plan on approaching it much as I did golf, with ample advice culled from peers. I know intuitively I’ll need to work my way up to three miles and I can’t expect any miraculous turns of event. But I also know there are multiple schools of thought on proper form, proper shoes, proper regimens, and it’s bewildering. The consequences, too, are dire–torn muscles, decimated backs, busted knees. Are these not fears normally reserved for mob informants?

These concerns are for another day, though. With forecasts heralding a weekend of consecutive 100-degree days, jogging would be an open invitation for heat stroke. Weather advisories recommend, instead, seeking AC and avoiding direct exposure to sun. I’ve trained for this! I’ve trained for this my entire life.