Connect With Your Community!
Connect With Your Community!
I’m the type of person who can’t entirely function appropriately without a to-do list.
The lists come in very handy for work. I usually have a list of things I need to complete for the upcoming edition of the newspaper and a master story list that constantly evolves as the year goes by.
I also utilize lists in my personal life. My “personal” list recently needed some updating, with getting in much better shape skyrocketing to the top of the list. Sometimes, it gets a bit out of hand when I start making lists of lists that I need to make.
While I was certainly aware that I needed to start working out more, it became crystal clear after I decided to participate in the recent Headwaters Bank Run.
After covering the event for the past several years, I decided it might be a fun morning to take pictures and “walk” the 5K. Not only would it be some much-needed exercise, but I could also give some money to the Headwaters Trail System, which is a fantastic thing for the Three Forks community. Not to sound cliché, but it was a win-win situation for me.
A few nights before the race, I spent some time outside relaxing while checking the meat on the grill. The mosquitoes were in fine form, and they thoroughly seemed to enjoy the fact that I was wearing shorts and did not utilize bug spray.
The following morning, my legs were a mess, with bites everywhere. I did my best not to scratch the bites, but I couldn’t help myself because it seemed like the best remedy at the time. By the evening, I regretted that decision.
Despite my legs looking like I had chicken pox, I was excited about doing the 5K in the morning and taking a nice walk on the beautiful trails.
I’m to the age where I have one “good” knee and one “bad” knee, and this was definitely evident in the morning. I guess my body knew I would take a nice walk and decided to make my right knee swollen before I even started.
As I was about to head out to the event, I remembered I needed to take the camera and grab my knee brace, but I was still a little groggy and managed to forget the brace.
Once I got to the event, I took pictures of the people starting the half marathon. I have so much respect for someone who can run 13 miles. If I started a half marathon on a Friday morning, it might take me until Sunday to finish it.
While waiting for the 5K, I remembered around 20 years ago in Las Vegas when I could walk at a decent rate in 100-degree temperatures from Luxor to the Stratosphere and back around eight miles, so I should be okay. Boy, was I wrong. Twenty years ago was a long time ago.
After the first few moments, I seemed to be at the very back of the line, and no matter how fast I tried to walk, I could not catch up to anybody. I usually have a long stride, but I could not take too big of a step because of my knee.
I kept a decent pace about halfway through the race when I decided to get stupid and pass somebody in front of me. My knee hurt, and I desperately wanted to stop for about 15 minutes to scratch my mosquito bites, but I instead started walking at an increased speed.
Around mile two, I pulled something and knew this would not end well.
I could not believe I was so out of shape that I managed to hurt myself walking, but I did. Watching me limp my way through the third mile was not graceful, but I eventually finished.
The entire way home, this would be an eye-opener to get out and utilize the trail system much more and get in much better shape. I used to be able to run or walk a long distance without an issue at all, and I would like that feeling again. Working out is also a great way to get out of a funk or to deal with anxiety.
A few years ago, Melissa and I got gym passes for Christmas and were eager to get into shape, but we could have utilized them better.
With a lot of our jobs requiring us to sit at a desk, we both need to get out and get in better shape, and that’s what we plan on doing.
Hopefully, by this time next year, I can participate in the 10K and finish without too much of a problem. I probably won’t sit outside two nights before and let myself get bitten by mosquitoes for a few hours, and I probably shouldn’t try to pass anybody during the race.
Later today, I think I’ll start small with a two-mile walk on the trails. Hopefully, I won’t pull anything, and I won’t forget my brace or mosquito spray.
If there is a delay with this week’s paper, somebody come and look for me on the trails.
