[Off topic]

I hate running.

Give me cycling, swimming, canoeing, hiking - anything but running and its constant pounding on my old bones.

That’s why I’m so proud of my first participation in a race: the #PatrasHalfMarathon. I did the 5km, of course, not the 21km.

Colleagues from Computer Technology Institute and Press “DIOPHANTUS” (CTI) and family decided to participate as a group, and I couldn’t fall behind. I trained 3-4 times, only to confirm how much I dislike it, and to start worrying whether I could finish in under 50 minutes.

But running with other people is different. You look around and see amateurs like you, struggling, but somehow lifting each other up.
And then you hit the last 200m. A crowd is cheering. You feel the adrenaline, your whole body tingling, and you give it a final push - even though you thought it didn’t matter if you came last. (Btw, I hate adrenaline rushes, but this one was amazing - like a drug.)

40 minutes. Medal says "finisher".

No way I can do that time again outside a race. But I’m already looking forward to the next one. I might even train for it.

PS: The organization was impeccable - totally recommended.