Save the Clock Tower 5K and a cycling accident

When I read last week that WordPress employees were inviting the WP community to participate in a virtual 5K, I thought it was silly.

You KNOW you wish this race existed

But when I got home on Friday and saw my still-unworn homage to Back to the Future — a “Save the Clock Tower Hill Valley ’85 5K Run” t-shirt — I decided I would not only run the virtual race, I would make it a fictional race as well.

Back to the Future is not only my favorite movie of all time, it is, coincidentally, also the GREATEST MOVIE EVER.  Citizen Kane, Shmitizen Kane, that’s what I always say.

Really, I’m always saying it, ask anyone.

Of course, to prepare myself, I first downloaded the title theme from the movie to my iPod.  Priorities, you know.

I headed out in the rain and decided to take it easy since my legs were still sore from last Sunday’s Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler.  It was a “race” but I wasn’t “racing” it.  The route was simple:  south on 16th, down New Hampshire Ave. to Dupont, around the circle and east on Mass Ave., then retrace my steps.

I felt sluggish out there but when that movie soundtrack came on, I thought, If Marty McFly can save not only himself but the fabric of the universe itself, I can run these 3.1 miles.

I finished it in 29:57 (9:40 pace), far slower than my average 5K time (25:30) or PR (22:34).  And no, I didn’t hit 88 mph.

I followed that “race” with a long bike ride with Epod Saturday morning.

We started out winding up Beach Drive, dodging angry drivers yelling out their windows, and traversing some tough terrain on the trails before the Capital Crescent Trail.

If I know Epod, she was making sounds like "Vroom, vroom!"

We took a water/snack break in Bethesda and then headed home.  After a few miles, as we sailed down at 15 mph, I asked her if she wanted to see what it felt like to go 20 mph.

Just then, though, Epod’s shoelace got caught on the pedal, which forced her to move to her right and slide off the trail.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her spin out and hit the ground.

You'd have thought trying to get this photo would have caused the accident

I slammed on my brakes and threw my bike down and started running back to her.  It’s funny the things you think about in a split second, even during high-adrenaline moments.  Because the thought that went through my mind as I ran to her was, Hmm, so this is what it’s going to be like in the triathlon when I stop cycling and start running.  Interesting.

I got to her and she was alright.  A little shaken up, a couple of cuts and bruises, but overall OK.  She dusted herself off and, being the tough chick she is, got back on the bike and we pedaled home.

“It’s a good thing we weren’t going 20 mph,” I told Epod.  She agreed.

Still.  Imagine if we had had a flux capacitor.