A Casual Runner's Perspective

A little over a year ago, my wife and I decided to take part in a few 5K races as part of improving our overall fitness. Ellie's Run for Africa was one of the many races we put on the calendar. Of all the races, it still remains one of my favorite.

While training for last year's event, I had my first case of shin splints (ouch!) and was really worried that I would not to able to run the race. My wife, brother-in-law and aunt were all signed up to run the race as well. It was only the third 5K that I have run, with both of the previous being road-races in Nashville. ERFA is much more than just another charity 5K. Of all the events I have taken part in, this one stands out because of its carnival-like atmosphere. The music and games going on all around made it less about an endurance race through the hill course, and more about a fun day at the park. It is surreal to come around the second mile marker to hear the sound of African drums after a trek through the wooded trails of Percy Warner Park. Some runners will have their iPods tuned in to whatever mix they created for the race, but I prefer to just run to the sound of sneakers hitting the grass.

I finished the race with my best time of any 5K that I have run so far -- 41:01 according to an app on my phone. My brother-in-law destroyed the course with a sub-30 minute time. If you have not signed up for the event yet, give it a shot. I had an absolute blast last year.