Last Sunday, more than half a million people worldwide opted to heed Nike's call and run ten kilometers. Official race events were held in 26 cities worldwide, while others were encouraged to "run anywhere" using the Nike Plus/iPod pedometer system. With online tabulation of race results for official competitors and iPod users, the event literally allowed participants to race the world, at a universally accepted distance. The promotion also involved pretty sweet micro-site action and free t-shirts.
Liking the idea of going out for a run with the world, Dawn Farrell in the San Francisco office put out the call for runners. Holiday weekends being what they are--and 10K being what it is, at more than 6.2 miles--only three of us joined the worldwide effort on Sunday. Possessing neither Nike Plus systems, nor living in one of the official race cities, we decided to freestyle it. Draw up our own courses and get at it. Three people, three stories. And a nice shared moment of zen with the planet. Viva Endorphin release. First, the words of the organizer, Dawn Farrell.
"Pacific Heights was the backdrop for my first ever 10K. My goal was to finish and I did. My course was designed to be dog friendly as my 12 year old Labrador joined me (that's 84 to you and me). She finished too, a much bigger accomplishment than anything I did that day.
I found myself far more aware of others sharing the pavement than I usually am, my competitive nature kicked in as I observed how easy they made it look, and my Nike t-shirt mandated 'Just Do It' attitude changed quickly to more of one of, 'I can totally take you.' I did managed to get myself to a more zen place at about 4K thanks to the sounds of the Rolling Stones blasting from my nano."
Dawn's tired feet are pictured below at bottom, along with (clockwise from the feet), Ang DiPietro's course, Ang in preparation, Daniel Turman in post-race repose at the beer garden with his Dachshund Lola, and Turman's course on the East Bay isle of Alameda. The other two stories follow the picture. So go ahead and live the drama of global athletic competition and make the jump.
Angela DiPietro opted for a more nostalgic approach to the run. Running past every house she's lived in for the last 10 years, she used the event to revisit a big chunk of life Her description follows.
"Approaching my 10-year anniversary living in SF, I decided to plan my route through the various 'hoods I've been fortunate enough to reside in over the past decade. Some of my best memories running in SF are of the precious weekends spent here, when I was spending my weekdays (commuting to and) working in LA. Lacing up on characteristically fresh and sunny Saturday mornings, I would run through the Presidio sans phone or water bottle, with only my sony walkman in hand (pre-shuffle iPod days, oy!).Myself, I opted to visit the Oakland Riviera, also known as Alameda, for my contribution. The figurative (and literal) carrot in front of my nose would be the thrill of post-run grazing at Speisekammer, the East Bay's finest German Restaurant and beer garden. My younger brother--who has run 30 minutes for the distance--advised me "not to go out too fast." Laughing, I told him that there was little danger of that occurring. My goal was to finish at the Alameda Small Dog Park before my dog was tired and my wormanfriend frustrated with me. I pegged that time at about 50 minutes, which would also allow me to claim a per-minute mile rate in the sevens. In the end, fighting a unusually warm headwind off the bay, I made it to the dog park in time, chugging out 7:58 miles along the way. I also saw an enormous pelican lingering on a drawbridge.
I would lose myself on these trails figuratively and literally, only to windup exhausted and disoriented in the middle of a vast forest with nary soul in sight."
In the final analysis, while enjoying wheat beer, ham, cheese, beets and cabbage, I had a moment of clarity. Knowing that untold thousands (and perhaps even millions) of others were, somewhere, out there running with me created a unique type of ambition. It was the confluence of solidarity and competitiveness. And in the end, that may be the perfect essence of pure competition. A solitary task, accomplished among others, bolstered by their presence, encouraged by their numbers, yet pushed toward the goal by this union of personal and collective ambition.
Daniel Turman
PS. Kudos to Dawn for making it happen and to Ang for getting all Streets of San Francisco with it.
Strategists & Planners
Comments (1)
"To truly know a man -or woman's- character, know them after they've crossed the finish line. It is the ego you will meet at the beginning of the race; his motives will show them selves as he goes the distance, and his spirit that carries him to the end."
Posted on September 4, 2008 16:22