Inch By Inch

I ran that 5k I mentioned in the last post in 32:53 -- there's a story leading up to the race. Ask me if you're curious. All and all, it was a great marathon weekend for me. I got to cheer on two friends running this year's rainy Boston Marathon. 

Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow.

All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground.

Inch by inch, row by row, Someone bless the seeds I sow.

Someone warm them from below, 'til the rain comes tumbling down.

Pulling weeds and picking stones, man is made of dreams and bones.

Feel the need to grow my own 'cause the time is close at hand.

Grain for grain, sun and rain, find my way in nature's chain,

to my body and my brain to the music of the land.

Plant your rows straight and long, temper them with prayer and song.

Mother Earth will make you strong if you give her love and care.

Old crow watching hungrily, from his perch in yonder tree.

In my garden I'm as free as that feathered thief up there.

Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow.

All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground.

Inch by inch, row by row, Someone bless the seeds I sow.

Someone warm them from below, 'til the rain comes tumbling down.

My elementary school assistant principal use to sing us this song with her guitar. I went on a walk today thinking about life. I thought of the universe and how we're just a tiny, tiny speck in it. I thought of a simple life. I thought of hard work. I thought about moving forward, inch by inch.

Five years, exercising, et al.

The passing of time. Five years ago, I was deciding on which college to attend. It feels so long ago, but yet I'm surprised still that five years have lapsed. But it also feels right. High School is in the distant and even undergraduate is starting to get a little bit hazy. I still feel young though.

I'm running the B.A.A. 5k this year. This will be my first race in a little bit over five years. The last race I ran was in 2009, probably November-ish my senior year in high school: a cross country race. Throughout March I've been running on-off, averaging about 2-3 times a week. It does feels nice to be able to run again. I run without music, so it's just me, myself, and my thoughts. Yesterday was the first time I timed a good to honest outdoor run. And well, it was 37 minutes for about 3.3 miles. A little slower than I would have hoped. But not too bad. I have about two weeks until the race. I'd be thrilled for an under 30 minute 5k.

Since the weather warmed, which is an overstatement since it's still fairly cold, I've been prioritizing getting outdoor: running outdoor, going on walks, and riding my bike.

Post Script: Holy mackerel! It just hit me that 5 years ago, I was underaged, 17.