I'm Running! I Run! I'm a Runner!

You heard right......believe the rumors.....an O'Laughlin ran in an organized running event. Moreover, this is the second organized running event an O'Laughlin has taken part in since living in Saipan. (And actually the third organized running event I've ever been in if you count that two week stint in high school when I was on the cross-country team....but that's an entirely different story). The first run, the Turkey Trot, was a five mile run straight up Mt. Topachao (where we used to live) at 6am Thanksgiving morning. Winners got frozen turkeys at the top of the hill (Joey Elger and I finished that one on the heels of the 60+ Women's winner). This race however, the Saipan Marathon/Half Marathon/10K, was the real deal. And by real deal, I mean a calendar at my office with a training schedule on it.

Elizabeth Elger and I began our grueling training sessions a few weeks before the race. We actually made a pretty solid running (use that term loosely) team because we both are of the same mindset that you don't want to let the other person down by stopping to walk which then forces you to keep running against your will. Its a foolproof plan. We also employed the "shoelace" running style, which means you run at a pace as if your shoelaces are tied together. Highly effective for first timers.

I'm very proud and happy to report that Elizabeth and I finished the 10K without stopping once in 76 minutes! We began to understand why people always say running races becomes addictive as we immediately started making plans to prepare for a half marathon. Ah, the sweet irony of an addiction to health. But I digress. Congrats to Elizabeth, Steve, Michael, Natasha, Megan, and all the countless Japanese folks who took part in the 2011 Saipan Marathon!

News article and photos here: http://saipantribune.com/photogalu.aspx?newsID=107605