So how did running become a passion of mine? I can tell you it wasn’t by choice but rather by accident. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always enjoyed going out on occasional runs, but certainly not runs that lasted more than 2 or 3 miles. Now I can’t tolerate running anything less than 4 or 5 miles, and a run that exceeds 10 miles is even better. You runners out there know exactly what I’m talking about, but for those of you who don’t understand how exerting one’s self to the point of exhaustion by running as often and sometimes as far as possible, let me try and explain.

A couple of years ago, while stationed on Camp Pendleton in San Diego, I happened to spot a bunch of flyers as I was heading out of the fitness center I had just worked out at. They were sitting in a slot on a news-stand, and in big bold letters were the words “Carlsbad 5000 - the world’s fastest 5k.” For some reason those words grabbed my attention and before I knew it I was reaching for one of those flyers. A few days later I was registered to run in what has become one of the most popular 5k races in Southern California. I’m not sure what urged me to sign up except for the fact that I am always looking for some type of fitness challenge and I guess the Carlsbad 5000 was what seemed to fit the bill at that time. So it was, that on a warm spring morning, I showed up to the event with a couple of friends, and with nothing else in mind but to enjoy an easy 5k run along the beautiful Carlsbad coast. But something unexpected happened as soon as I heard the sound of the starter gun and saw the runners in front of me take off at a alarmingly fast pace - all thoughts I had of running at a leisurely pace alongside my girlfriends completely disappeared, and before I knew it I was desperately trying to edge my way forward as fast as possible. I actually ended up finishing the race in a respectable time and even won a medal for being amongst the first 250 runners to cross the line (out of 2043 participants). My girlfriends however were unimpressed that I had abandoned them early on in the race, and I can’t say I felt as good at the end of the race as I did while running (my intestines hurt from having been jostled up and down much more aggressively than usual), but nevertheless my surprisingly small but smug victory prompted me to seek out another 5k event. The 2007 Iron Girl 5k event in Solana Beach CA would be my next challenge….….