Trying my best...

I remember the original Pond Mile like it was yesterday.

Here I was surrounded by a bunch of great runners and the only physical activity I get most days is walking from the parking lot to my office. I was the only male non-runner at the original Pond Mile and thus felt quite intimidated both due to the stature of my opponents and of the fact that I knew I was going to run the longest race of my life to that point.

While waiting for the gun to go off with a beer in my hand, I had already resolved that I had to make up my time in drinking. I didn't stand a chance trying to outrun these athletes. So I knew I had to do my best to make up for it with my drinking abilities. 

The gun went off, the girls took off. (because they don't have to drink the first beer before leaving the starting line) I was standing there and started pounding my Yuengling. In case you hadn't noticed my error, Yuengling is a pretty heavy beer to try and chug/run. Everyone else had light beers like Rolling Rock, but since we had a shortage, I took one for the team with Yuengling. Turned out to be a grave mistake. For those of you who have yet to register this year, do select something light or you'll regret it. 

So I was one of the first to finish my first beer and took off down the hill. I felt like a million bucks, but before I got to the first beer station, everyone else had passed me. I started my next Yuengling, again hating myself for the decision and again took off as one of the front runners, solely due to my ability to drink quickly. But this time, everyone caught and passed me again! 

After this, my lack of running ability really caught up to me as the runners really started to make a showing, but I trudged on regardless. Running up the last quarter mile to the finish line was absolutely one of the more difficult things I have ever endured. Being full of beer, exasperated, and wheezing like an asthma sufferer, I thought I was going to collapse. But I pushed through and made it to the finish. I was the last male finisher, but the only non-runner so I was not terribly disappointed. 

One absolutely amazing thing about the whole process is that although this is one of the most ridiculous abuses one could ever do to their body, when the race is finally over it all seems worth it. Maybe it was the feeling of accomplishment knowing that in a manner of minutes 4 beers and 1 mile had been defeated by my body. Maybe it was just the fact that running got my blood pumping and moved all of that alcohol to the parts of my brain that decide what is a good idea and what is not .

Either way, this first Pond Mile was one of the best experiences of my life and I eagerly await Pond Mile 3!