Running in costume

For July 4th (or July 3rd this year, if you live in Utah), I ran a 5K with my brother and dad. We raced in the Murray Fun Days 5K, which cut up through State Street and around Murray Park.

My brother and I decided it would be funny to dress-up in costumes, giving my dad a few laughs as we ran alongside him. We really hammed it up — we found boys swim trunks with an American flag print, tank tops with the flag over the United States, necklaces with peace signs and glittery stars, a tall red, white and blue hat and a star bandana.

We looked like patriotic idiots.

Here’s the thing about costumes — you’ve got to be really good to wear them. You just look stupid with an Uncle Sam hat and too-tight shorts unless you’re flying past the competition. If you’ve got the confidence to rock a themed costume or color-coordinated outfit during a race, the other racers better be your roadkill.

During the 5K last weekend, things went well for me for the first half. I kept a strong pace with my brother and dad, shouting “We love America!” to anyone that made comments on our attire.

Around mile 1.5 or so, I ran out of gas. The classic newbie mistake of too hard, too fast right at the beginning. I fell behind my equally crazy-looking brother and, in a race where no one else wore costumes, I felt pretty stupid running by my lonesome in head-to-toe red, white and blue.

It especially hit me when my brother was out of sight, and I had to slow down to drink water at the aid station. “This was a bold move,” I thought while the spectators waiting for the parade stared at me. “Costumes were a dumb idea.”

Once I got to the finish line stretch, I sprinted in for a big finish. And I was surprised to see the clock barely turn over into the 27-minute range. I finished the 3.2 miles in 27.15, my fastest 5K time since high school.

I’m not sure what to credit — the costume, the fast pace of the first half or pure embarrassment.