Here we go! I just survived the first training session for my Sun Run group out of the Hillcrest Community Centre.
I was a bit worried about the 44-minute run since I’m still rehabbing a knee I hurt doing a 10K run in Las Vegas Nov. 15th.
It seemed like such a good idea! Myself and colleagues Kelly Sinoski and Bev Wake (both a decade or more younger than me) would go to Vegas and run the Rock and Roll 10K and see the sights. None of us had ever been there before. And the race would be easy – completely flat, in the afternoon and along the famous strip.
Vegas was fun. We gambled a little. We drank a little. And then we toured around Sunday morning, checking out the Mob Museum before Kelly and I headed to the start of the race at the north end of the strip. (Bev ended up being on crutches all weekend so couldn’t run.)
There was a band playing 80s music. It was about 17 degrees and sunny. The 6,000 runners were in a good mood (though some were nursing hang-overs!)
And then we started – north past the grubbier part of the strip – marriage chapels and pawn shops including the one where the TV show Pawn Stars is filmed. Some runners stopped to take photos. I just plodded along. We got to the old part of Las Vegas at dusk, circling around Fremont and then back south along Las Vegas Boulevard. As it got darker, the bright lights twinkled ahead.
And then it started – big gusts of wind. It got stronger and stronger and we were running right into it. Water cups stacked on tables were blowing into us. We were soon caked with dust. A garbage can blew over in front of me. I tripped and someone behind me fell into me. Even an Elvis impersonator running in a white jeweled jumpsuit stopped and was doubled over when I passed him. The wind was gusting up to 50 miles an hour. (Yes – MILES!) It started raining.
I couldn’t believe how miserable it was. I had to lean forward just to keep running. The race seemed to take forever. As I got back to the more populated part of the strip, tourists started cheering the runners.
I could see the finish line, but my knee started killing me – I would later learn the strain was likely caused by the lack of variation in the course. But I limped across and met Kelly and another old friend who had also finished before me.
We were handed cool medals with poker chips on them. And then we were given a beer, along with too many snack items to carry.
I ended up taking a month off training and going to physio.
But I tested the knee tonight with my Run Stronger group, headed by our inspirational leader Kathy Manson. It’s a little sore, but not bad! Maybe I can do another 10K race afterall.
Just never in Vegas again!
