I did it! I did my first official 5k charity run yesterday! And I liked it 
The route:
It was ok but a bit boring as it was more or less only straight without any curves. Nevertheless, it had some nice aspects as it was along the river Rhine, with a perfect view of Cologne Cathedral and passed a chocolat museum. The gremlins on my shoulders told me it would be easier to stop running and take a bath in the huge chocolat fountain in the museum but I kept running 
I didnt like that about half of the track was cobble stone pavement which is not easy to run on. A woman next to me stumbled but fortunately didn't fall. There was a second race yesterday (10k) and it had rained between the two races so a friend of mine doing the 10k told me it was very slippery on the cobble stone pavement.
The runners:
I've never run with any single person before. Nor have I run with a few hundred runners. Well, I did yesterday. In total about 2,000 runners signed up for the two races but I don't know how many were in the 5k race. As far as I can say: many!
I had feared to be slowed down by slower runners or, even worse, to adjust to the pace of a faster runner which would have made me unable to run continously. I went in my own pace and apparently I'm not that slow and I'm also in a good shape. I was overtaken a lot but also overtook many other runners. And, which I like even more, I was able to run for the whole distance while the first very fit looking runners had to walk after only five minutes. Thank you very much, Couch to 5k!
Some of the runners wore costumes so among my fellow runneres were two "Eau de Cologne (4711)-men" and a fat princess.
It was a charity run to gather money against AIDS. Many actors from daily soaps or TV shows participated in the run so there were some "celebrities" among the runners.
The audience:
Although the route had some weak points as the cobble stone pavement, it was great for the audience. The track was a very narrow circle so the audience could easily move from one point to another without missing anything important. I also brought my very own fan club consisting of my BF and his parents. They took photos (I try to upload one or two later), cheered at all passing runners (not only me), sang "Great pretender" as one celebrity cheated (he joined the runners only a few hundred meters before the finish line...), called the rest of the audience "lame Germans" (explanation: they are Scottish but live in Germany), made party and had a great time. It was very special for me to have them watching the race. It was the first time that anyone I know has seen me running. Of course, I told them about it. But now they have the proof (not that they had needed one...). I am a runner. I did not only run in an official race but was also seen by someone I know. And I got photos of me running. It may sound ridiculous but now I feel as a real and proper runner. It's not any longer something I do on my own. I showed the public that I do run...
The time:
When I crossed the finish line I was distracted by a volunteer giving me a sunflower so I didn't see the official time at that very moment. I used my own stopwatch as well and stopped it a few seconds after the finish line so I'm pretty sure that my time was 32:30 minutes. 40 seconds slower than my PB but contemplated the mass of fellow runners and the cobble stone pavement it's still ok, I suppose.
Who would have thought I would do a charity run five and a half months ago??? I would have kept my bum on the sofa. I wouldn't have even known about the race. Well, what a difference Couch to 5K makes 
Happy running to everyone!!!
PS: I high fived a little boy in the audience My first runner high five!!! I still wonder if he really wanted to be high fived... well, if he puts his arm out like this, that's the consequence
Officially a grad now - first 5k
W8R1 - A tale of two runs and my first 5k!!!!!
First 5k plan run post grad.
First full 5k run!
First 5k run!
