5k

Today was the Kuala Lumpur Terry Fox Run. Terry Fox was a badass Canadian who ran across Canada raising money for cancer. He was an amputee, his right leg amputated at age 18 due to bone cancer. Terry Fox ran 3,339 miles in 143 days and raised millions of dollars. That is almost a marathon a day for 143 straight days. That is ridiculous!!! Every year there are Terry Fox runs all over the world raising money for cancer.

The Kuala Lumpur Terry Fox Run is a 5k in the city's lake gardens . This is a very picturesque but hilly location. Casey and I showed up this morning, registered, and joined the thousands at the starting line. The last time I ran in Malaysia the outcome was decidedly negative so I opted to walk the "run" and I let the crowds go first. I move pretty well these days but I still use a cane and I am still quite slow. I walk on the treadmill in therapy but the longest I have gone is 1 kilometer at a 1 incline. I thought the Terry Fox Run would be a nice challenge, I wanted to support a worthwhile charity, one of my therapy cohorts challenged me to participate (Elizabeth: she walks a bit then goes a bit in her wheelchair, then walks a bit more, etc.), and I wanted a real world idea of my stamina and ability. I wanted to be realistic so I set 3k as my goal.

The first kilometer was all uphill. I was pretty wiped out and despite starting in front of at least 1,000 people I was now at the very back of the pack. This is a "fun run" and not a race and I was in no hurry and had nothing to prove. I never in my life though, thought that I would enter a race with old people and babies, and Lose. Tiny toddlers were passing me and that was the motivation I needed. It was ok to finish dead last, as long as I finished. I did finish: 5k in 1 hour 59 minutes and 56 seconds. Note the fact that there is absolutely no one else in this picture. This is the finish line, this is where all the tents are set up, this is where all the volunteers and participants hang out.There is no one else in this picture because everyone else is long gone. They actually took the finish line down 5 minutes after this picture was taken. I watched volunteers take down the course markers and direction arrow signs before I even got to them. I guess I am that slow. Normally, finishing an event after the clean up crews have already done there thing and gone home would upset me. Today, however, I wasn't bothered. That cocky little five year old who passed me twice can have his victory. I avoided the crowds and even though everyone had already left the event, the ice cream man was still there waiting.