Running on Empty

I'm going to run a 5k. On Saturday. This Saturday. This is a problem. Let me tell you why. I mean beyond the fact that it involves running.

I haven't trained. At all. I've done about five sessions on the NordicTrack all winter. I haven't actually run since —  well, since I don't even remember. I haven't been on my bike since whenever I put up the last post that actually talked about biking. So, I'm off to run a 5k.

I blame my wife. Not for the lack of training, but for getting me into this whole mess in the first place. She talked all fancy to me, and I got confused. She convinced me that I'd have tons of fun with her on this little run. She also convinced me that I wouldn't enjoy the Salt Lake City Marathon Bike Tour that goes on at the same time. I must be a sucker for my wife. I mean, I know two people who are doing the bike ride. That sounds fun.

Or maybe I should blame my wife's friend (and somehow my friend as well) who talked my wife into doing this run. Somehow that friend convinced me that I should think about doing a triathlon — like other of her friends had been doing — and running a 5k would round out my experience in preparing for one. After I sent in the registration, I remembered that I enjoy biking, and I enjoy swimming. I don't enjoy running. Maybe I should have countered that I'd try a duathlon. Or that I'd do a team triathlon with my wife doing the running and me doing the biking. In retrospect those would have been good answers, but I didn't think of them at the time. So, I'm going to run a 5k. On Saturday.

On a related side note, Nicole had sworn off the Salt Lake City 5k (this very race) after she did it a few years ago because of the abysmal handling of the cattle-chute of a finish line. Now she's running it again. And she's wrangled me in as well.

I must be insane.

So, now that it's too late to train, I guess I'll just need to taper, like all the good training guides say to do, so that I'm ready to run on Saturday. And, since it's too late to back out now, I'm going to run a 5k. On Saturday. This Saturday.

I'll be, as Jackson Browne says, running on empty, and running behind. At least Saturday should be good weather for a bike ride. Oops, make that a short run. If I'm still alive after the 5k, I may post my post-run comments. Maybe.