Nearing the end and still smiling. Also, apparently I run with my thumbs up. Weird, huh?
I ran a 5k!!
Well, I ran part, walked part, jogged part, but I completed it, and that *is* the point.
I first got the hairbrained idea to train and run a 5K several years ago. I don’t really remember what prompted it but it kind’ve became this unattainable thing.
More than that it started to represent all things that were unattainable because the excuses I could use to not run a 5K were the same excuses I used for everything else.
Excuses like …
I need to lose weight first.
I need to do couch to 5K.
I don’t have time to do couch to 5K.
I’m to busy with the boys.
I don’t have anyone to do it with me.
So one year I signed up for a 5K — a local run called the Cookie Run because you get cookies at the end of race — thinking because it was cheap and local and involved cookies, I’d be motivated to train and run.
Was I?
Nope.
As soon as the boys ball schedule came out with a game for that morning I was out. With a good excuse, but I was still letting excuses stop me.
So this year, at my new job, they have this really fun 5K called the Double Helix Dash and I signed up. I asked my friend Amanda to do it with me knowing I’d need that kind of support and encouragement to follow through. At the time there was six weeks til the race so I had visions of doing a condensed couch to 5K but cold weather and migraines and busy schedules — my excuses are coming out again — foiled most of those plans.
Excuses almost won out again because I was very, very sick the morning of the race and Amanda was having trouble leaving work early. But I loaded up on Powerade and Amanda’s boss came through.
There we were at the start line and I reminded Amanda for the 100th time, “You know I don’t run, right?” I needed her to know this because she does run and I wanted assurance that her expectations were set fairly low.
We ran through the start and after a while slowed to a fast walk.
I first felt pain in my shins. They went numb after a while and then it was my knees.
When I could no longer feel those, it was my ankles that were killing me.
Once both legs were completely numb I kept pace pretty well.
We neared the end and had to finish with a run, right? So we sprinted up the hill across the finish, and something about that last push but a tug in my back.
But no pain no gain, and I was so glad to gain the confidence I felt after this accomplishment.
Will I do another? Oh, sure! It wasn’t bad as I thought (most things never are) and now I know I can do it.
Looking good, pre-race.
Added my running number to my memory board
Calluna 