Running in Peru

From Has spring sprung?

Otherwise known as my first running race....ever.

Because gyms and pools are expensive and out of the way, my exercise of  "choice" while in Peru has been running.  My only problem is that I don´t like running.  Its ok, but I don´t think I could ever do lots of it.  This causes another problem : lack of motivation.  To solve this secondary problem, I signed up for a 10k race, the Nike 10k in Lima.  Its a pretty flat track that goes through the pretty touristy part of Lima, in Miraflores and along the coast.  I probably should have started with a 5k, or something seeing as how I have never run a race (or more than 20min) in my life.  My friends assured me I could do it just fine and I can never find the info on the tons of 5k´s that happen around Lima.

I set myself the goal of running the entire thing and to finish in a respectable (although unkown) time.  I made myself get up early to run 3 days a week and man, was it difficult.  Running is not my forte and it is soo easy to stay in bed for 15 extra minutes.  About a month away from my race I had to start guilting myself to go run three times a week.  I wonder how guilt and motivation differ in this instance....:-/ Part of the reason it was hard to stay "motivated" was the air quality.  All cars spit out grossness from their tail pipes, and because there is little rain or wind in Lima usually, it all just hangs in the air.  I swear running outside with cars gives me a sore throat.  Another problem was the cars themselves.  I have small parks around my house, but they are seperated by streets and since we live by a major artery, it can get pretty backed up.  So I have to deal with cars, and in Peru, cars don´t stop for you.  I have to stop running to wait for them and usually end up with a face full of exahust.  Oh joys of running outside in Lima.  ICK.

But paying a large sum of money to run a race is pretty "motivating", so I pushed through the smog and fought the cars to do my three day a week training.  Sometimes I ran around and around parks.   Sometimes I ran up to the closest shopping center which has stairs and sometimes I ran up past some schools and around to my parks.  The most I ever managed was 30min of continous (car interrupted) running. Its funny how fast you cover ground when you run instead of walk.  (I know that running is faster than walking and so this makes sense, but it never ceases to amaze me).

Finally race day came!  Being in the starting area was a really interesting people watching experience.  There were all types and sizes and nationalities of people.  We even saw the winners go by-a small group of willowy Africans blew by dressed in head to toe Nike. (reading the news the following day we read that these were indeed the winners of the race, and pro-runners).  The race was cut off at 10,000 people, and I think it got about that many.  You couldn´t really get the feel for the amount of people until everyone was lined up and waiting.  Carlos´ brother said it was like being in a religious procession and I felt like I was back in Spain watching the world cup. Everyone was pressed together like sardines.  Yay for bodywarmth before the race!  Carlos was watching the start of the race and he said it took about 20 minutes for everyone to go by.

Running the race went smoothly and we cut a nice pace until the end when I ditched Carlos´ brother and his stomach ache to finish under an hour.  For all the 10,000 people spread out on the course, the entire race felt strangely solo.  If there is no music stand near by or people cheering, then all you heard were people panting and feet hitting the ground.  Everyone was in their own zone.  I never even felt that solitary during a race for swimming.  It was really odd.

I´m not sure if I an a running convert.  I know for a fact that I like running outside in a changing landscape a lot more than running inside.  I also know that I can run a 10k and no die and I know that I should push myself more if I ever run another one.  It is good to know that I can do something when I put my mind to it/or my hard earned money into it.  I guess that running, unlike swimming does not make me excited.  Sorry running, the pool rules. But I do value running for being a good exercise that doesn´t take up excess time and gets you outside and moving.

Final time : 59.23  Hurrah under an hour!