Today I am going to the edges of this outdoor column to talk about something that is only semi related. I haven’t always been focused on staying fit but more or less relied on being active enough to provide movement and energy to stay in shape. Elk hunting the Rocky Mountains used to be one thing that always kept me moving. I realize now that the older I get the more aware I am of the need to keep doing more just to maintain.  

For years I have been running “The Horn” in Ellsworth which is formed by Main Street, South Piety Street, 490th Avenue and South Maple Street.  It’s close enough in distance to call it a 5K, which is what I always say because it sounds way more impressive than 3 miles. Those runs never give me the “runner’s high,” but I wish they would. 

My unofficial fitness routine also includes hanging out at the Hudson YMCA playing basketball, running on the treadmill, riding stationary bikes, grinding out on the stair machine and lastly, getting beat by handball players way older than me.

That’s the backstory of my fitness journey which recently took an unexpected turn when my daughter Mattie, who is a half marathon veteran, asked me to run with her in the La Crosse Oktoberfest race. I told her that I couldn’t run the half marathon but that I would run the 5K. In the end we compromised and signed up for the 5-mile race. I’ve never run an official race let alone a 5-mile one. I hoped that I had enough stamina. I remember hearing that you don’t have to train for a full marathon, the adrenaline of race day will get you to the finish line. 

On race day as we walked to Riverside Park, both the start and the finish line, I could feel the energy and excitement immediately. As the half marathoners left the starting line I was clapping and cheering like the Packers scored a touchdown. Fifteen minutes later I was on that same starting line about to run in my first organized race. I was equally excited and nervous.

My fists were clenched as I ran up State Street and turned left on Second Street. I had to keep reminding myself to loosen up and relax. I finally settled into my own pace. At the 10-minute mark I was expecting to see the 1 MILE marker. Twenty minutes into the race I still hadn’t seen it so I started to panic a little. If I didn’t increase my pace I would be asked to leave the course because of a time limit so the parade could start. Two minutes later I passed the 2 MILE marker and breathed easier. 

It seemed like the further into the race the more relaxed I became. I also experienced something that I never thought or knew about. The people along the race route cheering on the runners were powerful motivators as they clapped and offered words of encouragement. I acknowledged them with a thumbs up and a wave and then chugged along.  

It was at about this point that runners much younger and faster than me were coming towards me signaling that I was approaching the halfway point. Mattie was one of those runners. We high-fived as we passed each other. A short time later I hit the Clinton Street bridge and then turned around when I hit French Island which was the halfway point. A quick look at my watch told me that I was around 25 minutes in. I had enough confidence and enough gas in my tank to finish the race.

My pace was pretty consistent as I ran south, back towards Riverside Park. I had run my first race without stopping or walking any section of the course. When I made that last right turn towards the finish line, I was greeted by cheers and clapping from both sides of the street. Unexpected emotions surfaced as I teared up.

I crossed the finish line, not like an Olympic gold medal winner with arms high but as an old man who had just ran his first 5-mile race. Relieved to have finished, I bent over and put my hands on my knees to catch my breath and that’s when it happened: Runner’s High!

Didn’t get enough Dave this week? Visit “Outdoor Trails and Tales with Dave Beck” on Facebook or at  ottwithdavebeck on Instagram for photos and video of Dave’s adventures. You can share your own photos and video with him there as well, or by emailing him at dave@piercecountyjournal.news Also, check out OTT content on Instagram @thepiercecountyjournal