Victory over Violence

I am a tad obsessive compulsive over my cycling. I understand life’s priorities get in the way some time, but every opportunity I can create; I try to ride the bike.

I am late on this, because life’s pesky priorities have not allowed me to type this up. But on Saturday April 10, 2010 was the Annual Victory over Violence 5K fund raiser for the Women’s Center in Fort Worth.

The Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office makes it an office project to get the largest team entered into this fund raiser. It is for a very good cause and it good public service publicity for the office. The office develops team T-Shirts that the boss, Joe Shannon, Jr. purchases with his own funds to make sure the Office is visible. The past few years I have had the task of helping with the design, ordering and purchasing the shirts.

Nonetheless, a 5k in downtown Fort Worth at 8:30 am on Saturday morning, completely trashes any opportunity to get a long ride in on a Saturday. I was stuck with a dilemma, show support for the Office or get a long ride in.

Like most things, I wanted to have it all. So with some planning, my office buddies, Mark and Betty, let me put my running stuff in their SUV with a bike rack on Friday with the plan to meet them in the parking lot at the run at 8am. Big Dave met me at my house at 7am and we time trialed all the way from Little DWG to Trinity Park on 7th Street in Fort Worth. We made the 17 miles by 7:55am, Mark was waiting and I quickly changed in a manner that would not get me a ticket. Mark and I walked to the start. I found the boss to underscore my commitment to the office. (Some would say sucking up; I am just going with commitment to the office)

I of course mingled with other people from the office and spent some time with the true athletes. I managed to do my 5k in 27:03, which for me was only 3 seconds slower than my goal. I ended up finishing in the top 10 for the 100 or so that ran from office. Although I am proud of my run, but as Mark noted, I am not sure what it really says about the fitness level of the office.

Mark and I headed back to the car, I changed and Big Dave rolled up and we headed out. We took the long way home and I finished with 42 miles for the day. Not a true long ride, but a ride, run and a ride.

I guess it was my first duathalon.