Outside the Tribe: Taking a Walk in Right Direction to Help the Great Cause Behind DHFS5K
By Chris Johnson on June 09, 2024
For a couple of years I had been thinking about taking part in the Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars 5K. On my birthday this year, May 16, I finally committed to it and signed up.
Yesterday I did it. I completed the 5K course. I walked the entire way and I did it in a time of 54:49.12. A few people passed me along the way but I passed a few too. I wouldn’t have cared if I was the last person across the finish line, I was going to do it and I did it.
I do feel a tremendous amount of accomplishment. Most that know me from the high school sports world, know I’m an avid supporter of track and field as well as cross country. I’m fascinated by people who can run far, run fast, jump over stuff – all things that I would be horrible at.
On Saturday I pinned a bib number to myself - number 294. My name is there on the results from the race. Gotta admit, that was pretty cool to see. I also can tell people I have a 5K PR time of 54:49.12.
I’m not the type of person that would be referred to as “being in shape.” My diet consists of too much Mountain Dew, too many Camel Lights and most of my food is smothered in melted cheese so running the 5K was not a realistc option.
But I thought if I challenged myself to walk and complete the course, that would be a step in the right direction for the start of trying to be healthier plus I would be doing it for such a great cause (much more on that in a minute).
I figure I walk three-to-five miles a day with my dog Oliver so I could pull off the 3.1 miles in a 5K. Of course, walks with Oliver involve a lot of stop and go moments – stopping to sniff things, sprinting at the sight of a squirrel. Completely different skill set.
I’m also pretty active when it comes to yard work with roughly two acres to weed eat. So, I’m not completely out of shape, just not really in shape. At least that’s what I told myself as I awaited the start of the race.
Once it started, I learned some things that I will share along with some statistics you probably weren’t aware of.
- First of all, there is something lost in the translation from kilometers to miles. Mile 1 of the DHFS5K is at least 17 miles, according to my hamstrings. Mile 2 is at least double the length of Mile 1. Mile 3, is actually not bad at all. So, again according to my hamstrings, a 5K is really about 52 miles. That of course means Saturday’s overall winner, Aidan Kneeland (with a time of 16:10.87) can run roughly three miles a minute. I realize that is impossible for a human being so I blame the metric system.
- People who are good at running and take it seriously, they show up for a race and run before it starts. Then after the race is over, they run some more. Insiders call this warming up and cooling down. I call it voluntary torture.
- Did you know there were hills on the 5K course? Not metaphorical hills to climb, I’m talking real-life in-person inclines. That hill right by Compton Park? I might as well of been scaling Mt. Everest.
- My time of 54:49.12, is also the pace one must run the course and be able to get to The Lunchbox Food Truck in time to secure an order of Filipino Eggrolls. Seriously, after I placed my order they came out and marked on their chalk board that there were sold out. I offer no apologies for getting the last ones because they were delicious.
- If you complete the DHFS5K course in my time of 54:49.12 you can do so while listening to Dokken’s new album, 1.5 times.
- Post-race, three is the number of cramps I’ve discovered in places I didn’t realize you could get cramps. The night is still young, that number could very well increase.
All joking aside (the deliciousness of the eggrolls is no joke, they are legit incredible) the Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars 5K is not about the time it takes an out of shape sports writer to finish. It’s not about the times for anybody. It’s about remembering those who deserve to never be forgotten, it’s about honoring those who deserve to be honored.
I didn’t know Derek. I never had a conversation with him. The closest I can say is I covered a couple of Bridgeport High School basketball games his senior year, my first back in the area after starting my career in Parkersburg.
Former BHS basketball coach, the late Gene Randolph, someone who I admired deeply and miss tremendously, cried twice in front of me while I was interviewing him. Once was after his last game as a coach, the other was the day they retired Derek’s jersey number and raised it to the rafters in the BHS gym. I know how much Derek meant to Coach Randolph.
I know what Derek means to people I have gotten to know and consider friends like Jon Griffith, Ryan Nicewarner, Jeff Weimer, Grant Burton and Ali Burton.
I know how much Derek, and his father Jim, are loved and missed by Pam, Dustin, Ashley and the entire Hotsinpiller family.
I know how important the Hotsinpiller Memorial Foundation is and its work in providing scholarships in the honor of Derek and Jim and providing assistance to law enforcement agencies and officers, their families, including K9 officers.
I’m an optimistic person, which can be tough in a world that gets more pessimistic by the hour. But I refuse to believe that there are not more good people than bad. I believe most people, regardless of race, gender, political affiliation, income level, or any other trait, all want the same things.
We want to earn a fair wage for our work, we want to provide for our loved ones, we want to make the world a better place for our children. We want to enjoy a good meal with our family, we want to laugh with our friends and we want to take our dogs for a walk.
I believe all of that but I also realize life can be unfair and even cruel at times.
Derek should be here. Derek should be running in full gear with his law enforcement brothers and sisters at 5Ks.
But Derek paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing his life in the line of service.
It’s important to remember him and honor him and all other fallen heroes.
When I checked in for the race and received my bib number, it also stated I was running in honor of Governmental Affairs Liaison Michael Elaine Griffin. From what I understand you can choose the hero you are running for when you sign up or one will be assigned at random.
Either way, they should all be remembered and honored as well.
Griffin was killed at the scene of a crash in Mississippi in June of 2023. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and served as a law enforcement officer with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety after 34 years with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
I will remember and honor Officer Griffin as well.
Since it’s inception in 2011, the Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars 5K has been an amazing event and one that finds a way to top itself the following year because of the vision, passion and relentless hard work of the race committee. There’s no doubt in my mind they will start meeting again in about a week and they will make next year’s race, which will be the 15th annual one on June 7, 2025, even better.
God willing, I will be there. And I’m telling you with 100 percent confidence that if I can complete the course, you can as well.
I can’t promise you a PR time, I can’t promise you an egg roll. But I can promise that you will feel good about yourself and your role in spreading this message and making these words true, “A hero remembered, never dies.”
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