Race Report: Movin' For Community Outreach 5k

Submitted by Eric Ghiloni

After an April Fools email telling me that Ethan and Lucas had decided NOT to run in the Movin' For Community Outreach 5k…and the beating they survived for “getting” me - just kidding…the Ghiloni Family settled in to just another Friday evening….a little eagerness…a lot of questions.

10:00 AM races make for a decent wake up time, so we were ready early and you could sense the excitement. I had mentioned several times last week that I thought a 40 minute time was what we should expect (knowing they would destroy that) so they had a goal…and a very reachable one at that. 

The weather this morning was perfect…especially after the cold, wet week we had. 

Several RMEC’ers were there..Ron, Eric, Thom, Milton, Amber and Jon, Arthur…my memory is suspect, so If I forgot you, I am sorry. Everyone was friendly…it was a great race for the kid’s first. We all know the pre-race “buzz” and I really had hoped the boys got the buzz…and they did…you could feel the nerves…the excitement…a little fear…It was awesome. 

We hung out...got pooped on by a flock of birds (berry eating freaks)…another story all together…and just enjoyed a fine morning in the Lord’s creation. We walked to the starting line…socializing…just a very relaxed event.

Time to start:

I told the kids to be sure NOT to go out too fast…that is something I STILL fight…and lose…LOL. Ready-Set-Go! We went out about a minute and a half too fast…corrected…and settled into a very comfortable pace. The course was great…I look forward to running it for speed next year. 

I have not enjoyed a run as much as this one since my journey into health started last year. The weather…the course…the pace…everything was ON today. Lucas left Ethan and me about ½ mile in…and never looked back…his race ended 35 minutes after the start…destroying the 40 minutes I put in his head and he was proud as a peacock. Ethan and I followed at about 36:30…I pushed Ethan just enough to show him how much he really had in him…but not enough to make him mad…OH…and he told me that the 3 high school girls at the 3 mile marker helped him puff up and dig deep and got him to run through some discomfort…MY MAN!

Brandie had some challenges with her asthma today and was frustrated when she finished, but she forgot all that the second the hug-fest started. 

Despite a few snags with the results (I really like chip-timed events)…and this one drug out a little too long…which was actually good cuz we got to hang out as a family without phones and TV’s and Xboxes, etc…and despite the fact that this was BY FAR the slowest 5K I have ever run, I will always look at this as my favorite race ever.

God is good. All the time. So good that the kids asked, on the way home, for us to register them for Scotland Neck and the Fun Run 5K’s….Amen.