Allow me to reintroduce myself.  I used to post in the old Loop hosted on the Runner's World site.  I was known there as Kingcoffee.  I used to love posting blogs and reading other peoples blogs and comments.  I stopped doing that because my life became so busy that I could barely find the time to run much less write about it.  I started my own company and it took up so much of my time that I didn't have any left for much else.   I thought that, if I started my own company, I wouldn't have a "job" anymore.  I quickly discovered that I had traded my one job for 5. 

I posted one blog in this new Loop but I wasn't able to get back to it to respond to any comments or questions.  I hoped at that point, to become a regular again but my life quickly returned to the hectic world of running the business, sleeping, running and family. I'm six years plus into running my business now and I think there may finally be time to be a regular contributor. 

With the extra time commitment of running a business, there has been less time for the activity of running as well.  My running fitness has declined, partly due to aging but more so due to lack of training.  I have been able to run more consistently lately though and I was able to run a faster 5k last year than I have been able to run for quite awhile.  With being so busy with work, I wasn't able to sign up for many races since most of them are on Saturdays.  I'm the type of runner who mostly runs, in order to be able to race.

Luckily, Friday 5k showed up in time to save my running life. What is Friday 5k?  So glad you asked.  A runner who lives much closer to Dave (you all know Dave), started Friday 5k but he started it on the west side of Michigan because that is where he spends most of his weekends.  Friday 5k races take place on prime numbered Fridays beginning in April and ending in September.  There is no entry fee and no t-shirts or medals but the races are timed and you can see your results shortly after the race is over.  The races are paid for through donations.  The only requirement to participate is that you have to become a member but membership is free. 

There have been numerous different things thrown into Friday 5k's.  At first, the races were held at different places and you only found out where the evening before the race.  At the end of one season, we were invited to run all ten of that year's 5k's in one day.  Most racers only ran a few of those races but I ran all ten of them in one day.  There was a little walking in the last 3 races that day but mostly running.

Another year, the races all had different names, complete with theme songs and special prizes.  One of those races was called the Aim Low 5k.  I received a prize, which was a book titled Aim Low.  The book is hilarious and yet also poignant.  Another one was called the Sunshine Day 5k and we finished the race to a recording of the Brady Bunch singing Sunshine Day.  Somewhere there probably still exists a video of me, my son and 2 foster kids skipping toward the finish line to the music. 

Now the races are all held at the same venue but there continues to be different contests and prizes tossed into the mix throughout the season.  For the last 2 years there have been teams.  This year there are no more teams but there will be an event where racers start at different times which are based on there previous Friday 5k times and the idea is that everyone will finish close to the same time.  Kind of a handicap race.

Some of you may wonder why I switched my name from Kingcoffee to Runningthrumymind.  The main reason is that I stopped drinking coffee.  Also, I intend for most of my blogs to be about the things I think about while I'm running.  I do my best thinking when I'm out running.  Running, particular my long runs, usually become a form of meditation and my mind goes rambling around while my body rambles down the road, (or trail).

I hope some of you find this entertaining and I hope to be able to continue to write these on a regular basis.