Shavin' off the Seconds

This morning, I did not feel like running. After a wonderful night out with my friends, I most certainly did not feel like going out for a 5K race. However, after I woke up, I realized that I was just going to lie awake there anyway - my husband certainly wasn't getting up - so I might as well go out and run.

It was a beautiful morning - a little chilly, but I wore a long sleeve shirt. The entire Capital University football team came out to support the cause, and the Bexley HS soccer and field hockey teams ran as well.

This 5K raises money to support finding the cure for ALS, an insidious disease that attacks the nervous system. Most of its victims succomb to the illness within the first five years after diagnosis. However, this race honors the courage of Marc Levison, a familiar face in Bexley, who has battled the disease for 20 years with positivity and grace. The facebook page for the Marc Levison 5K describes him in this way:

Though Marc has lost most of his muscular ability, he can still hear, see, and feel. His mind has not been affected at all. This disease breaks it’s victims down and most have a life expectancy of 3 years. This is not the case with Marc. If anything, it has made him realize his love for life and given him a strength that is beyond anything I have seen in anyone. His positive nature has kept Marc alive for over 20 years since his diagnosis, and he continues to fight until a cure is found. Marc has a quote… “Find a cause you’d die for, and live for it.” His cause is finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Please stand up for Marc and hundreds of thousands of others with ALS.

He is an inspiration! He was out in support of the race this morning.

After getting to the race, I felt a little better, and it was nice to see a few familiar faces. I ran comfortably, at an even pace and was pleased to pass a few people, and was able to stay at the front of the pack. Ultimately, I shaved 15 seconds off my fastest time so far, with a finish time of 23:29 at a pace of 7.57 min/mi. (~7.6 mph). I finished second in my age group (the one ahead of me was only 5 seconds ahead of me -- my husband says if I hadn't had 3 cosmos the night before I could have beaten her!), and 34th out of 335 runners overall. Not bad!