You Can Do a 5K Run – Drop The Excuses And Do It!

Every year there’s what is called the “Regan 5K Run” in Dixon. Dixon is Ronald Reagan’s boyhood hometown.
This year was bigger than ever. Almost 1200 runners.
I haven’t run the Reagan run in about 4-5 years. Before that I ran it every year for about 4-5 years. I’ve never had an ounce of natural cardio ability. Even as a kid I sucked wind in wrestling (5th grade) and had to work my butt off to get to “okay” in my cardio even back then. Gee, what a shocker that I was drawn to weight training then.
Truth be told I was draw to weight training because I so admired the physiques created from it and it was something I could do on my own time, my own terms, without affecting a team (negatively was my experience for things like basketball or football), and I had good mentors early on.
But here’s the kicker. My boy Chris who just graduated high school DID have natural ability for running. Not superstar talent but damn good nonetheless. He was one of the “5? who led the boys cross country team to a State championship this past year, the first time any boys team EVER even placed at state in ANY sport — pretty amazing.
I could beat Chris in the Reagan run until, I kid you not, he was about 12 or 13 years old. After that it was “I’ll see you at the finish line son — wait for me when you get there.”
So, I’m about a 3 on the natural cardio 1-10 scale. And I’ll add to that an inherited degenerative L5:S1 disc that with jumping and pounding can drop me to my knees for a 3-4 week recovery to walk upright again. Just one of those things. No one’s fault — it just is.
But every year I go down to the Reagan Run to make sure my boy Chris has someone at the finish line waiting for him. The Reagan Run is a hilly S.O.B. and they always warn the runners to NOT expect a personal best. Still, my Chris will run it in a good year in the uppper 16s or low 17s. And every year I’m waiting at the finish line I think “Man, I should have run it just for fun.”
So this year Chris asked “Hey Dad, you wanna run the Reagan run with me?” I chuckled and said “Are you going to run it backwards?” He just runs to keep his general cardio up and stay in good shape so he said he didn’t care what time he did it in. But I knew better. I knew his cross country friends and others would be there and there’d be NO WAY he’d want to hold back with his Dad who, since gaining the last pounds of muscle walks around every day at about 205 and 8-9% body fat but still — the 205 pounds is KILLER on my back when running. I told him I’d think about it.
Well, I thought about it. It’s been two years (since I gained the muscle and all) since I’ve run on pavement. I trained ZERO for running anything. But last night about 11pm I text Chris and told him I’d run it. So we went down and registered and I ran it. I told him to go ahead, and he did. I ran it in 29:54 and just had fun. I was there. I did it. I had no regret this time standing at the finish line. This time I crossed the finish line because I was a participant.
When many people are asked about doing a 5K they act like you have to train as though you were competing for a half- or full-marathon. But my gosh folks — a 5K is just a 30 minute workout. It’s just a 40 minute workout if you walk it fast. How much training do you need to do that? Well, I’ll tell you — zero. Most 5Ks have a walk-run class and they will keep the timer going for at least an hour.
So as Summer is here and the 5ks are all around us I just want to encourage anyone standing on the sidelines to get in the game and give this a try and put away your excuses and just do it. Walk it if you have to — who cares? I can tell you this SOMEONE will be slower than you. There are parents pushing kids in strollers (some faster than me by far) and there are old people walking it taking the full hour or better.
Everyone here can do a 5K with zero training. And if you find you like it start training for it. There are gobs of websites to teach you how and we have a BOATLOAD of expertise right in this Club that can tell you exactly how to get started and I know they are more than willing to share.
I was 9 minutes slower than my best time ever. I’m 20 pounds heavier in muscle. And I had fun. The exhillaration when you are with 1200 people and you see the sea of people ahead and behing you is just something you have to experience.
And I realize that a tiny race like this is nothing compared to 400,000 people running a major marathon or whatever. But that’s what can make your local, smaller 5k races more palatable too — easier parking, not overwhelming, done in 25-45 minutes, socializing before and after — do it! It’s fun. I’m glad I did this year. I’ll do it again next year if at all possible.
In health,
David Greenwalt B.Sc., CSCS – Founder
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