Today I ran a 5k (3.1miles) race - the Tucson 5000. It was my first 5k, or any running race for that matter, in about 30 years.

I started training for the race a little over 3 months ago, with a friend, Deborah, from school. Our first practice run was timed at 33 1/2 minutes. We set a goal of finishing a 5k race in under 30 minutes. Last week I ran a practice 5k and did it in 26mins 22 seconds, so I expected to do a time of around 26 minutes for this race. Did I make my goal? Sure did! I ran it in 25 minutes 24 seconds!

That's is good enough for 16th place in my age group, there were 22 men in my age group, so I finished right in the middle. Deborah said before the race she would just take it easy and finish in 35 to 40 minutes (she has a knee issue), but in the end she finished in just over 27 minutes, good for 6th place in her age group, which was also right in the middle of her age group. And her knee felt good after the race, hopefully there will be no pain in the next day or two.

At this point we are talking of doing another 5k, probably in July. We both felt real good at the end of this race, and we both feel we can trim our times down a bit more. Only time will tell.