JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge

Back in May a coworker of mine, Catherine, got everyone hyped up for this JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge. There seemed to be alot of interest in it initially but when it came time to sign up there were few takers. So in a moment of insanity or corporate team building spirit or whatever (trying to "set an example" or something like that) I signed up. Besides, it's a charity event, its a wellness event . . . how hard can it be to run 5 kilometers.

Pretty hard :)

I thought I'd be able to use it as a means to start getting some exercise and maybe drop a few pounds. And then I had to go to Kuwait. Kuwait isn't really the best place for training. Americans stick out like a sore thumb enough, imagine me running through the streets of Kuwait. Not to mention that the nighttime temps this time of year are around 100 deg F if you're lucky. There are treadmills in the office building we're in but I have a hard time getting motivated for treadmills.

So basically I came back to the US on June 18 with 10 days to prepare myself for this race. I ran every other day and managed to work my way to suffering through 2.5 miles. On race day all in all I did pretty well Id say. A total of 7 of us showed up to the Public Garden starting line and at the start there were 2 walkers and 5 "runners". I like to think that if I hadn't tried so hard to keep up with my co-workers for the first 2 miles that I might have actually run all 3.5 miles but in the end the two tiny hills where Comm Ave. crosses under Mass Ave killed me. Actually it was the second one (coming back).

But I managed to make it to just after Clarendon which is right around the 3 mile marker. After the fact I realized I had my strategy backwards. As I walked the last half-mile being passed by alot of folks I had passed previously when I was running I realized I should have walked the first mile. Then at least I'd have had the thrill of passing everyone in the end.

We all met at the White Horse Tavern in Allston after the race for a meal, alot of water and a little beer (very little actually since drinking while dehydrated isn't the best plan). Sadly none of us took pics but all you're missing is a picture of me sweating through 2 T-Shirts. Most importantly I'm hoping I can keep up the walking/running at home to get myself in a least some semblance of physical fitness.