I am an avid participant in 5ks. I have been for a year now. It wasn't something I had done prior to moving to Tennessee. I didn't even know exactly what a 5K was or how long was the distance, but I had a life changing event and that made me get into the world of 5Ks.
It took me a year to get into 5K shape. I was just out of cancer treatment when I moved to Tennessee so I was weak, tired and out of shape. Six months in, I decided to get back in the gym and started working out religiously. This is when I started seeing posters all around campus about 5Ks. There are 5Ks year round in Knoxville, whether Christmas Fun Run in the winter or Color Me Rad in the summer, there is never a shortage of 5Ks to participate in.
It is a commitment to run. Not just the fundraising, or the entry fees, but the time and effort it takes to train for 5Ks is a big commitment. I spend weeks even months training and getting in shape. This means working out five days a week to build up my strength and endurance. A 5K is three and a half miles so training for them is necessary or I won't be able to finish. I learned this during my first 5K when I thought I was going to collapse before I reached the finish line. Fortunately I didn't and I have been able to make better times with each subsequent race.
Training for 5Ks consists of time on the treadmill, spin bike, and circuit training to build up my muscles. I also swim between 16-30 pool laps per day which helps me work on controlling my breathing. The schedule is grueling especially during the school year when I must squeeze training in between my classes and assignments.
The 5K world is a community. Every 5K you will see many of the same faces over and over again. We may not know each others names but we know each other by sight and always speak to one another. The cancer survivor races are the most rewarding to me. I get to wear a survivor t-shirt and many people cheer me on. It gets emotional sometimes but I never lose focus on my goal of finishing the race.
5Ks are my passion now. I don't run in a team, I run solo so I can focus just on my own race. I zone out during a race. I don't hear the crowds or the cheering or even the racers beside me. I listen to music on my iPhone and try to match my footfalls to the rhythm of the up tempo songs playing in my ears. I keep an even pace and focus on my breathing. I notice the sites as I pass by through parts of the old city, downtown, east Knoxville and campus. When I finish I am normally more energized then when I began and I feel good about having raised money for a good cause and for having completed another race.
This fall I am training for two more 5Ks that are just three weeks apart. I am racing in the Strides For Knoxville on Oct. 6 and the Susan G. Komen on Oct. 26. I am hoping to beat my last time in both of these races. My anticipation for each is building by the day.
