My First 5K

I have never been much of a runner.  I find it boring and hard work on my body.  Even in high school I never really enjoyed running but was fit enough to do it.  This past year, I’ve wanted to become a runner and today I feel like I finally did.

Now I’m not only an athlete but a runner. That brings me great joy.

This morning I ran my first 5K.  I do not run normally other than in my classes at the gym.  I knew I could run a mile without stopping but I never even tried running 3.2 miles before today.  I signed up for the Fit for Fire run in Washington Park. I know it seems crazy to sign up for a 5k without training but I wanted to use it as ‘baseline data’ for how fast I could run/walk a 5k. I choose this one because I attended as a bystander last year.  My friend Kelley had invited me last year to hangout in the DJ van with her while all the hot firemen ran by.  But this year, I ran with all those hot firemen.

I did not train to run but I thought I could do about half of it running and half walking.  Before the race I had a lot of anxiety.  There were a few things that I wanted to accomplish:

1.  Finish in under 45 minutes

2.  Not be the first person to walk

3. Run 50% of the distance

4.  Feel like I’d done my very best at the end

What if everyone could run the whole thing like it was nothing and I was huffing and puffing the whole way? Oh well, let’s find out.

10629840_10102134237288469_3212099536836940939_nMile 1

As the race was starting, I was really nervous but I knew that I could at least get through this first mile.  My hubby had made me the perfect playlist to inspire me through me run.  I quickly found an anonymous buddy that had the same pace as me.  I put my head down, stared at her shoes and just kept running.  The first mile was done before I knew it.  As I was passing the first mile marker, I texted Dan that I had finished mile 1 and was still running.  I couldn’t believe I had made it so far already.  My breathing was good and my body felt great.  He texted back that he was waiting at the mile 2 marker.

Mile 2

Knowing that he was waiting got me through the second mile.  I didn’t want to let him see me walking.  Also, my breathing was still in control and I wasn’t getting the burning in my throat that I was expecting.  I was feeling pretty good.  Seeing my hubby waiting at mile 2 was awesome!  I couldn’t believe I had made it so far and was feeling so good.  I had NEVER run this far in my whole life, I’m pretty sure.

Mile 3 to finish

I struggled with the last mile.  At around 2.5 miles I got a pain in my side and my backside was starting to burn pretty bad.  I chose to walk for a while and give my body a short rest.  Considering I had already made it 2/3 of the way without walking, I thought this was ok.  Looking back, I probably could have just kept running.  I had never run this course before and had no idea where the turn to the finish was.  I could see the finish but not how to get there.  I stared at more shoes.  I thought about all the things I’d learned in the last year.  The next thing I knew there was a firefighter waiting in his gear to high five me around the corner to the finish.  I saw that finish line and never looked back.

10599262_10102134813493749_6244484605330807385_nI can’t even describe the feeling of crossing that finish line.  I had so much FUN proving to myself and my body that I’m an athlete now.  The first thing I did was hug my hubby and might have even shed a tear.  Running 90% of a 5k is just another thing on a long list of things I can do now that I never thought I could or would do. How did I do on my goals?
1.  I finished in 36:22 (Goal was 45)

2.  I was definitely not the first person to walk

3.  I ran 90% of the distance (Goal was 50%)

4.  I feel like I couldn’t have done any better!

This just goes to show I still don’t know what I’m capable of and I still think I’m weaker than I am.  Although I suppose that’s better than being over confident or cocky,  I’m still shocked at what I can do.  I know I work out a lot and I consistently push myself and my body at the gym.  However, a 5k seems so much more measurable.  How many times have I passed or seen a 5k race and thought it was something I could never do. Last year I was a spectator and this year a finisher.

10672294_10102134818114489_2187900149532405884_nI even got to run for an awesome cause: Denver Fire Fighters!

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