First 5K

A few short months ago, I attempted to run. I don't know if you could even call it running - it was more like waddling with speed. It was a challenge to lug my 200+ pound body at a speed faster than walking. Who am I kidding, before I started working out in October, sometimes just walking made me breathless. I've always had a love hate relationship with running. Let's face it, I hated to run but loved the idea of being able to do it. I guess I sort of admired runners from a far. Running appeared to be one of those sort of torturous challenges: hard to do but rewarding to complete.

I've always admired how physically fit runners are. You know you have to be in great shape to WANT to run. Why would any normal person want to torture themselves that way? On October 5th when I decided to change my body, it wasn't just my body that I decided to change. I'm changing my life. I decided that I am going to become one of those physically fit people who can do active things, adventures like running, biking, hiking and just enjoying the outdoors more. As I lost weight, I decided that I want to be one of those fit people who CAN run. I can change my life and not be limited as much by my body.

In January I started working out and running with Clare. She is hands down one of the most amazing women I have ever met. I pushed myself to my limits and could barely run 2 minutes, even months after working out. Each week, I've pushed myself harder to keep up with Clare. Thus changing my weightless journey from just weighing less to having more physical goals. It was then, the first day I ran with Clare that Mariyn brought home a fundraiser for her school, a family fun run. I decided I was going to complete my first 5K and I had a date to complete it by March 20th. A no stress family fun run in my own community.

I had a busy day yesterday. I had so much to do, load and charge my i-pod, plan and clean my running clothes. Plus, taking care of the kids (and babysitting my niece and nephew). I planned a runners dinner - whole wheat spaghetti, asparagus and garlic bread. I laid the girls clothes out because I know I am not a morning person and getting us all up and out of the house before 8 am was going to be a marathon in it's self. I loaded over an hours worth of music on to my running play list because let's face it. I knew it was going to take a while to finish my 5K. All I had ran up until this point was 30 minutes - a little over 2 miles. So I figured it would take me about 45 minutes to finish the 5K. I loaded music suggested by some of my most supportive friends. Friends who were running along side of me in spirit. Rich and my girls, along with my mom, brother, sister and her kids, came out to support me cheering me on and meeting me at the finish line.

I got up early this morning, tired but nervous and excited to. I had my usual breakfast: protein and a banana. Made the family some hard boiled eggs. We were out the door before 8 am, I checked in got my registration number: 220. The race had a much larger turnout than I expect. I heard someone say it was over 300 people, what a great turnout to support our schools! I began to get more nervous. I couldn't believe that I was going to do a 5K. Still well over 200lbs but I knew I was in much better shape than my body appears to others. Waiting for the race to begin, I let Mariyn listen to my i-pod. I put one of my favorite songs on it, Martina McBride's In My Daughter's eyes to remind me of my girls, the reasons I stay motivated day after day to be in better health.

When it was time to line up, I kissed my family good bye. I lined up a few rows back, kind of at the beginning of the middle of the flock of people. I took of and waved good bye to my family, and set my i-pod to the running play list I created last night. At that moment, I felt so proud, so accomplished and so grateful for all the blessings God has provided me. I wanted to cry but I was still surrounded by runners. I remembered to pace myself but I was quickly feeling winded. I remembered there would be a water checkpoint about half way through. I just kept telling myself to keep on going, I wasn't ready to stop yet. Keep running. I wanted to run the whole thing but I knew I would be satisfied just finishing. I haven't had much opportunity to run outside. I wasn't that familiar with the distance and pacing while running outside. I wasn't even that familiar with the neighborhood the course was in. So many people were out there cheering us along all the way. I really felt like I was doing something important - something worth accomplishing. Soon enough I ran past a family serving water to all the runners. I decided at that after I hit that point I could walk for a little while, catch my breath, I wasn't going to be dissappointed. I knew I could finish the course. The flock of runners had sort of dispersed. Some were in front of my some where behind. I was tired and struggling to keep my pace. I walked and ran most of the second half, running a lot more than I walked. It was such a beautiful and glorious day. Did I mention how blessed I truly am? As I approached a rolling hill, I was worn out, one of the other runners I was pacing myself with had slowed. Breathlessly, I encouraged her to keep going. She smiled and started back up running. Soon, I was nearly finished. I could see runners heading towards me. They must have already finished and just turned around to encourage everyone else. Sherri's song came on, Everything. I had listened to it a few times yesterday it's such a pretty song but now I was listening to it hearing the words finishing my 5K. The funny thing is, I knew I set this high enough in my play list that I thought I would hear it at the beginning of the middle of my run. Just at the point where I thought I would need some encouragement. I placed the songs my friends selected every throughout the play list just to keep me motivated. As I reached the final stretch, a quarter mile or so from the finish line, I seen one of my counseling mentors (an Amazing woman to me) cheering me on. I smiled gave her a thumbs up and decided it was time to sprint. The crowd was really clapping and cheering each runner on as we all entered the finish line zone. My family was there, at the end waiting for me just behind the finish line cheering me even louder than the crowd. I did it! I made it! I completed my 5K! I was happy, I was ecstatic, I was breathless! I felt so fulfilled, so triumphant! So blessed! So thirsty.


I sat down caught my breath and got a drink of water. I didn't hear my time as I crossed the finish line. I told my family not to be surprised if I was dead last. Mariyn thought I would finish first, I knew I wouldn't but I just wanted to finish. I ended up somewhere in the middle, with a time around 32 minutes. A lot faster than I had anticipated!

Reflecting on my accomplishment there are a few things I need to do to improve my running. I need to get out and run outside more frequently. Most of my running has been on a treadmill and I've been able to push myself watching a clock. Each minute I push myself for to go for another minute more or to finish to X miles. I need to learn to pace myself better, I have never made 3 miles in 32 minutes. Obviously, I uped my pace which caused me to get breathless more quickly and not be able to run the entire race. I need new running shoes. I already knew this but I didn't want to break in new shoes the day of the race and well, they just weren't in the budget this week.

In May, there is another local 5K. I'm going to sign up and do it again. From there, who knows. I am thinking I might try to complete a 1/2 marathon in October at the Nike Women's Marathon. Gotta have goals, right?



Oh and here are some pics, courtesy of my mom's iphone.