Every month the base does a “fun run.” Usually it’s around a holiday, but April doesn’t have a holiday, at least not at this time of the month, so they called this one the Fitness Fun Run. It is 5K. That is five kilometers or a little over three miles. It is four laps around the base. Our command makes us participate every time. So it is not “fun” for us unless you like running. We call it mando fun (mandatory fun).
Today I ran mine in 33:50. The last time I did one was in February (I was gone for the March one), and I did it in 32:40. So I did it a little slower today. But it was raining today, and the pavement was slippery. I always sprint at the end of a run, and I couldn’t get up speed today because of the slipperiness of the pavement. Just so you know, it wasn’t pouring–it was more of a drizzle. But it still made everything wet. We always get a free T-shirt out of it, so I have one more for my collection.
I also did a “fun walk” today. April is sexual assault awareness month, and so they had a base walk to raise awareness about SAVI, which is the Sexual Assault Victim Intervention program.
- The Dept of the US Navy SAVI Program is a comprehensive, standardized, victim-sensitive system to prevent and respond to sexual assault Navy-wide.
- SAVI Provides:
- Awareness and prevention education
- Victim advocacy and intervention/direct services
- Data collection
- The US Navy is the only service with a defined Sexual Assault Program with dedicated staff and funding at both headquarters and installation level.
The above bulleted information came from this website. You can also go here to find out more information.
We got a free T-shirt to wear and carried signs and walked around base shouting cadences. Well, some people shouted. It was more like chanting slogans. They were based on actual Navy (running) cadences. Like the following:
- Sexual assault is a crime
- If convicted you’ll do time
or
- “No” means no
- Not “maybe so”
or
- Everywhere we go
- People want to know
- Who we are
- So we tell them
- We are the advocates
- SAVI SAVI advocates
- We’re here to help you
- We’re here if you need us
After the walk SAVI sponsored a free barbecue for the base, so we got free lunch. My legs were sore and so were my feet all the rest of the day. But I have two free T-shirts now.
April 11th, 2008 - 21:11
Wow, awesome job on the 5K! I’m getting really freaked about my first one… I know running outside and running on a treadmill are not the same!!
I didn’t know the Navy was the only branch with a “defined Sexual Assault Program” - because of Tailhook, maybe?
And what is up with the other branches not keeping up with the navy??
April 16th, 2008 - 22:16
Some encouragement, Besty: 5K isn’t that big a deal. The trick is to keep moving. A jog ought to do it, even a slow jog if necessary. You can relax. You’ll be fine. If you keep moving, you’ll be guaranteed to finish. Just remember to hydrate.
As for SAVI, I’m going to be a SAVI rep, or more accurately advocate. Every command has one or more; it’s a collateral duty. I do training next week. I’m calling it a “powerpoint vacation.” as I’ll be missing work to go to it.