33:40 - give or take 
Monday, May 25, 2009, 12:23 - personal
Posted by Brian
...is about what I ran the 5K I ran this Memorial Day morning. I didn't look at my watch when I stopped but I stopped it about 10 seconds after I got out of the chute. I hit mile 1 at 10:06, mile 2 around 21:00, and then it got a little rough but I made it and ran the whole time. I even passed a few people, and about 75% of the runners passed me. I was pleased with the time, which works out to be about a 5.5 mph pace and a 10:52 mile average - nice improvements over my first 5K. With my second in the bag, I have a 4 miler on June 6 and then, possibly, looking at doing a 1/2 m------- in Pittsburgh in October - as tag-team with my wife. Right now, 6.55 miles looms impossible for me but if I keep up running over the summer (tough to do when the bike is so tempting), maybe, just maybe, I can do it.

Running a 5K on Memorial Day gives one time to remember and reflect, which I made sure to do. Memorial Day seems to have lost some meaning which is why I agree with this editorial. I think a fixed date is more of a sign of respect than a flexible date that is meant to give us a three-day weekend.

I don't know what men and women who have died in combat would want us to do on this day. I think that many of them would like us to like our lives as we do and be thankful for what we have. So it's ok to picnic and enjoy time with friends and family, as long we do not forget them and be grateful for what we have. Often, I think more of the families of the fallen; the void in their lives, the hardship; the grief. I made sure to take time to reflect on that as well.

Update - the official results have been posted online and they have me at 33:28.55. Looks like for my next 5K I will have to strive for breaking 33:00.

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