The Peace Corps 5K Fun Run

Yesterday, myself, roughly 8 other PC volunteers and one Moldovan met at the park and participated in a 5K Fun Run. I came in LAST place!!!

To my credit, the invite said people could run or walk the race. I figured that there would be a few walkers, some run/walkers (like I planned) and some runners. Unfortunately (for me), only the hard-core running crowd showed up.

I felt that having gone for two runs, three weeks prior to the race, I was in prime running condition. I tried wearing some running tights and doing so serious stretching prior to the race in order to intimidate the other competitors into dropping out. My plan failed and I, Katie McNabb, came in LAST!

I have chosen two separate but equally effective methods of dealing with this crushing defeat. The first is to perpetuate the idea: “If you’re not first, you’re last!” (Thank you Ricky Bobby) This means that technically there were eight others who finished in the same position as me: LAST! The second coping method I have implemented is to tell myself that technically I beat all of the PCVs who did not participate. This means that I finished about 10th place out of 100 or so volunteers. Not too shabby!

Even though I came in LAST, I had a great time and I plan on participating again next year!

Boot Update:
After the run, I bought the $140 boots that I had been considering buying for a while now. I bought them, not because I was completely certain that they were the boots I wanted, but because I couldn’t handle any more of my host dad’s badgering about buying boots. Apparently, he does not consider the shoes that I have been wearing to be weather appropriate. Everyday he asks me what shoes I will be wearing that day and then proceeds to tell me that they are not warm enough and I need to buy boots. I finally gave in and bought a pair, just in time for it to warn up for a few weeks (according to the weather report.)

Travel Update:
I have booked my winter vacation! This December I will be going to Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), and Vilnius (Lithuania), or as I like to refer to it “The Baltic Extravaganza.”

Happy Halloween…