SF Run & Walk For The Hungry

Paul and I do this race every year. It's a fundraiser for the local food bank, and it's in Golden Gate Park. In previous years was held on Thanksgiving Day itself, but this year race day was moved to the weekend before. It's a 5k.

And that was plenty.

Ugh. I learned a lesson today: if you want to perform well in an endurance event, you must do a certain amount of endurance-oriented training. Not only that, but if the endurance event is a race on pavement, some of your training must include running on pavement. Otherwise your body won't be conditioned to handle the repetitive stress.

Fortunately the race was only 5k. If it had been longer I think I would've gotten in some real trouble. Of course if it had been longer I would've trained for it.

Anyway, I ran my first mile too fast, which makes sense because most of the time when I run I sprint on the treadmill. After that I was gassed and slowed way way down, then finally hit on a pace I could sustain for the duration. I finished the race in just over 30 minutes, which is longer than it has taken me in previous years. So, 10 minute miles on average.

Not that it matters, really. I mean, I wouldn't have raised any more money for the food bank if I'd been running 6 minute miles.