Airport Runway 5k- GRR

So, I ran in a race for the first time in a year. I now realize, if I am sign up for a 5k, I should actually take the time to run a little before the race, like training or practice in the months or weeks before hand. You cannot (or should not) just run any race without some previous training. I did have kind of a rough summer and was concerned about so health stuff, so I hadn't really been running until about two weeks prior to the race when I got an "all clear" for some test results. 

This is not about that though; this is about how cool it is to run on a runway and donate money and time to a great cause. I chose this race initially because I thought it was super cool to run on a runway.  The year I signed up for the first time, it was cancelled for covid and when it came back, I wasn't in shape, and I couldn't attend anyway so my race fees were just a donation- which is still wonderful! Truly and honestly, I wasn't in shape for this one either, but I knew I had to do it. 

Running on an airport runway was interesting. Obviously, the airport has many runways, so planes were still taking off and we could see them over head. We ran past a private airport hangar and some private planes with a few people standing on the tarmac waving us on as the group sailed past. People at this race were very nice. The first interaction I had when I pulled into my parking space was with the car next to me. His name was Jim and he was in a wheelchair, he was using it to qualify for a different race and he was so nice. We had a wonderful little chat before I headed to the starting gate. After speaking to him I felt better. I felt less alone, less scared, and more connected to the situation at hand. 

The starting gate was an actual gate, with actual guards, and it was closed until about 15 minutes before the race. When I lined up at the start line people filled in quickly. It started off on a service road which turned into the runway. I never realized how big an airport runway was until I ran on it. When you are in a large plane you never really see the runway unless you are in the cockpit, and I imagine it probably looks smaller in the cockpit of a large plane then it does when you are on the ground running on it. 

A man who was holding his shoes ran past me barefoot. Women and men pushing strollers, small children, old people, young people, all running, all going for the same thing, the finish line. We were all stretched out over the asphalt running at different paces.  It was inspiring to see so many different people in one place all pushing themselves to be the best they can be and all going to the same destination. 

As I was running an old friend I hadn't seen in a while sidled up next to me. He was running too, we had a nice chat even though we were both out of breath, we kept going. Then towards the end, when I thought I could take no more, I was walking a bit and another woman, about my age said "You're doing great, just keep going, you are almost there" inspired by her breathy words I finished right behind her a minute less than the time I had chosen for myself. 

The donations for the race went to Kids' Food Basket, which here in Grand Rapids is kind of a big deal. Kids' Food Basket provides food to a lot of children in the area who would otherwise not eat well because of many different situations in their family life. It is an excellent program which helps out a lot of struggling families. 

Running these races is great. It's healthy for the individual. It develops an unusual comradery with strangers and a feeling of accomplishment. It is something I will do again and again and again as much as I can for as long as I can because we never really know how much we have left in us. We never know if we are in the middle until we reach the end, unless you are in a race that is.... and maybe next time I will train and write the date on my calendar or even set a reminder in my phone.