College Cup – 5K

Posted by webcomm on Monday, October 17, 2016 in Student Activities .

I’ll never forget my first college cup. There had been such buildup to that weekend and such excitement when it finally came.

Though I was excited for an entire weekend of fun and competition, there was one event I was particularly eager to participate in—the 5k. As an avid runner who just couldn’t just call it quits after college, I was ready to do what I loved with my friends and classmates, and to compete against my training partner/nemesis with the whole school watching.

“This is the most important race of your life,” a former collegiate runner/upperclassman told me before the race. “This will definitely be in your Dean’s Letter.” And thus with wide eyes and a heart about to beat out of my chest, the gun went off¹.

The beauty of the 5k is that it’s not just about who wins². To quote famed author Ed Caesar, running a race is an endeavor that is “democratic.” Everyone runs “against his or her limits. Everyone is forced to manage a certain amount of pain and to recruit hidden reserves.” The 5k is “an event against which hoards of everyday people—fat people, thin people; people crooked by time and people sprightly as foals; rich people and people in need—test themselves. I’m running against cancer. I’m running for my dad. I’m running for a personal best.”³ This is the essence of running, and what better way to be a part of it than participating in your college colors along your classmates, mentors, children, and pets. We love it, we hate, but no matter what, we run it. And what a scene it is. 

¹In case you’re wondering, I ended up winning this particular race, and the year after as well. I’ve since lost two in a row and will be back for redemption next year. I can do that because I will never graduate. (I love Vandy so much!)

²This is also reflected in the scoring for college cup. Even if someone from your college wins the race, you can still place last if overall participation is lacking.

³These quotes are from the book Two Hours (which I highly recommend), and are definitely taken out of context. Though the author was actually referring to running a marathon, I think his words still apply here.