The 5k as a race is not really a new concept. The 5k has been around for ages. It’s just a unit of measurement. A span of about 3.1 miles going from point A to point B. The beauty of #Anywhere5K is that it celebrates running at its very core.
The whole reason we all enjoy the sport isn’t because of the desire to finish on the podium or to add another race number to the pile.
We enjoy running because of the experiences it brings us.
Sure a 1st place finish in your age group is awesome. And there are other wonderful perks to racing. The camaraderie, beating your time from last year, finishing faster than that younger kid at the registration table letting you know that you’ve still got ‘it,’ the t-shirt, the mug, the “Finisher” trophy, the race number that goes on the fridge… all little reminders of the accomplishment of finishing an event for which you may have spent months training.
All of those runs in the park or around your neighborhood all boil down to that one little spec of time right before the gun goes off at the starting line. Then after about 25 minutes (at least for me), it’s over. You’ve done it! You’ve finished a 5K and you did way better than you thought you would.
But what if you took away the gun and the crowds and the “noise”? What if you just stripped away all of those elements of “race day” and participated in the sport for its simplicity? Just you and your legs.
That’s what makes #Anywhere5K so much fun. It’s running for running’s sake. Anywhere, anytime. No registration fees, no waiver, no crowds, and no lines at the Port-o-John.
Just plot a route and go.
About Scott Cooper
Graphic designer, photographer, trail runner, cyclist, gear junkie and mountaineer. Coffee is my life blood and pixels are my ammunition. When I’m not designing t-shirts for #Anywhere5k I’m at my MacPro whipping up sweet webby goodness, out running trails, nerding out over the latest outdoor gadget or not watching television.
