So I ran the YWCA 2-Minute 5k barefoot [photos]
posted in Running on Apr 22, 2011
Now that I have some time to sit and discuss last weekend, let’s discuss last weekend.
The 5k in question I have discussed in the past, and it was the first race I have done completely unshod. You know, like a boss.
Just a few months ago I was always fielding questions regarding my shoes. “Can you feel rocks?!?!” generally was the crown jewel of queries from passersby after “Are they comfortable?” and “Can I see the bottoms?” To these three questions the answer is “Yes.” Now, as I have gone one step further with the madness and have ditched the shoes, congregating among other humans while doing so leads to a few more inquiries. Let me clear them all up right now:
- Yes, my feet do get dirty.
- Yes, I do get blisters. It’s a small price to pay.
- Yes, I could step on glass. It’s entirely possible, and I have on occasion. Luckily, I have been gifted with the ability of sight, and in having that ability I can turn away from obstacles before they get to me. It’s like magic.
In an effort not to sound too up my own ass about running barefoot, I will end the list there. I really try to not encourage the thoughts that I am better than anyone else, because I’m not. I simply just get a tiny bit frustrated with answering the same questions over and over again. I had one person come up to me at this 5k and ask, “How do you run like that?” I couldn’t think of anything to say, and finally said, as un-asshole-y as I could, “Just one foot in front of the other.” And it really is that simple.
As far as the race itself, I thought it went really well. Not only did I get to run with a good friend of mine, his wife works with the organization that put it all together. And another friend of mine took the images below. It was a win for everyone all around. It looked like there were about one-hundred and fifty people running and supporting the YWCA. The track was down around the Oklahoma City Boathouse, a place I have only been to once or twice in my decade here. It was certainly a good venue for the size. The only downside of the day was it being rather brisk before the run, causing most everyone to shiver for their lives as we waited.
I clocked in a cool 29 minutes for my run. My phone recorded 29:12, but I am taking a few seconds off because of the time it takes to pull the thing out of my pocket and turn it off. I think that’s fair. My feet did well, they are accustomed to the distance. I actually ran faster – as we tend to do when people are around – than normal, keeping a sub nine minute and thirty second pace. For my first five minutes I was running eight-something, but I can’t keep that up for too long yet. Unfortunately, the chip that I was given was not registering, so I don’t have an “official” time, but from knowing when my friend came in and taking into account what my phone said, I probably came in around 40th overall. And that pleases me.
And that is basically the YWCA 2-Minute 5k for 2011. I would suggest you all run it next year. It helps an good cause, and it was great fun.