Viva La Goal

The 40-minute 5K continues to elude me. Most runners would probably scoff at such a goal. Most the running apps seem to think the only 5K that exists is less than 30 minutes.

I started running with a Couch to 5K app. In reality, it was a "couch to 30 minutes of running" app. And I don’t run a 5K in 30 minutes. And years later, apparently, i can’t even run one in 40 minutes. But I’ll keep trying.

I got pretty close at the Vida Verde 5K in McAllen earlier this month. Twelve seconds earlier, I would've finished the run at 40 minutes and 59 seconds. And I’d have no shame in claiming that as my 40-minute 5K. 

Last year’s Vida Verde 5K ended up my personal Discount Tire 5K. (Here’s the post from that run.) This year, I actually got to see the route. I learned it was part of the route used for the McAllen Marathon. (The only way I knew this was because there were signs stating that.)

That last part of the route was through Quinta Mazatlan. It was a bunch of quick short turns. While I appreciated them, it seemed like a lot more than .1 mile. There was someone at the last turn signaling that the finish line was close. I thought it wasn’t as close as he was saying, but it was practically at that turn. 

I’m pretty sure if I hadn’t taken those few seconds to think, “Yeah, right buddy,” I probably would’ve shaved those precious few seconds off my time. 

Ah well, I have another run in a few days. Wish me luck. 

Side note: Kudos to the organizers on the participant shirts. They were very nice. (It looks better without the wrinkles.) And I got a single-digit bib, which as close to being #3 in a race as I'll ever be.

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