We did it!

In somewhat belated news, but exciting all the same, we did it!!! Paul and I ran and completed a 5K race! The run was held the morning right after power went out, but there was no way we were missing it. Besides, it was a good chance to get out and see what was going on in the outside world.

Certified, bona-fide 5K runners!!!

The run was hosted by a non-Lutheran Christian counseling center called Cross-Connections. We found ourselves in the midst of a very evangelical event. There was Christian pop blasting at the start and finish line, and before beginning the race, I was asked by one very well meaning lady if I had picked my bible verse yet. Confused, I asked what she meant. She said, "You know, your scripture to help you make it through the run. On my first run I used 'I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.'" I decided it was not the time for a theological debate, so I nodded and said that one sounded fine, and proceeded to plug in my iPod. Maybe it's just me, but fast paced hip-hop does a lot more to get me through a five mile jog than a self-help bible verse taken out of context.

All the same, the run was very challenging and enjoyable. Paul and I had been training on an outdoor track, but, as I suspected, the run was cross-country over uneven terrain. We ran up and down large hills, over open fields, and even did a mile stretch through the woods. Even with the added obstacles, Paul and I both beat our track time, and we both ran the entire thing! (Paul ran it about a minute faster than I did.) It was great fun, and gave us a profound sense of accomplishment.

We have decided to continue our running, and have moved our training from the track to a park. The park is still paved, but there are at least some hills. Unfortunately, Fort Wayne is experiencing a massive heat wave. The heat index is 114 today, and we could not work up the motivation to go out and run, knowing that the most we would probably accomplish would be heat stroke... Treadmill anyone?