pounding pavement

The Liberty 3K and 5K* were run on the Fourth. The 3K was for children. Some pretty small children, like 5 year olds, ran and did very well. They were so determined; their little faces so serious. We all stood and cheered each child as they crossed the line. Then, the adults lined up for the 5K. Over 100 people – they ranged from teenagers to wiry old Japanese men. I ran with a friend; it was her first 5K, so she was nervous and afraid that she wouldn’t finish or come in last. She did fine. My loved one ran as well, but he was way in front. I could see him in the places where the course opened up or where it doubled back on itself. It was easy to pick him out in the long line of people strung out over the course. He has a distinctive stride – I can spot him running or walking from quite a distance. I was so proud of him. I wanted to grab people and say, “Look, look at that man. No, not that one, THAT one – the handsome, brilliant, funny one who swipes his right hand across his chest with each step – that man is my husband!” He has always been supportive of my running hobby – encouraging me to train and sign up for runs. In 1997 he practically dared me to run my first 10-miler, and I had only nine weeks to train up to it. He knew I could do it, even when I wasn’t so sure. He cheered me off at the start and across the finish line. There were plenty of other races after that, and, when he wasn’t traveling, I could always count on seeing his smiling face at the finish line. For this race, though, he was a participant. Running is not a big deal. I run three or so times a week; I finish and continue with my day as if nothing special had happened. But, running in an organized event is special. You feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself, bigger than your own workout. All of these people come together because they care about the same thing – a community experiencing the same thing at the same time, made all the better because he was there with me.

*Note: for those who are non-metric – 3K is about 2 miles and 5K is about 3.2 miles.