Why I like 5 K Races

I've always hated running and thought that runners were a strange breed and gluttons for pain. I'm not sure what made me want to run my first race, but it was probably a T-shirt. I hadn't trained at all but was young and cocky enough to think I would be able to outrun all the girls and women and anyone who was older than me. I remember crossing the finish line towards the end of the pack with a burning throat and legs and feeling like I was going to vomit. I was humbled.

I've since learned that that you compete against yourself and it's not such a bad experience if you actually condition yourself prior to running a race. I really like how running can make you feel, but I am not into long distance running. My body takes forever to recuperate from marathons, but I think that 5 K (3.1 miles) is the perfect distance for a race, especially for beginners.

I want to give a heads up about a local 5K race that Your Fitness Quest is co-sponsoring this month. It is the Community Action 5K on May 28th at 8:00 a.m. and it benefits the Provo Food Bank. I ran it last year and it was really fun.  If you have never run in an official race before, then I challenge you to give it a shot and let this be your first. You can run/walk at your own pace, it's a beautiful time of year to be outside, you get a t-shirts and prizes, and it benefits a good cause. You can register at www.communityaction5k.org.

Warning- Running 5K races can be habit forming and one may become addicted to them.