after nine weeks of training three days per week with jeff galloway, he is an olympic athlete you know, my goal date of september 29, 2012 arrived. my FIRST 5K event that i would be participating in as a RUNNER!
i was fighting a chest cold the week of the race, compliments of the little germ factories that live in my home. woke up race morning and knew immediately it turned into bronchitis. those who are asthmatics know this is never good and needs to be taken care of ASAP before it turns into pneumonia. it is just the way our lungs work when an infection moves in. in spite of this, i decided it was going to be mind over matter - which basically is what has been getting through all my training, and i was going to do the race. i had been working most of the summer on my training and i was not going to miss it - even if it meant i would probably slow my pace way down and i might need more walk breaks. plus, i was so nervous that i had that whole "flight or fight" thing going on, that i figured it was worth a try.
so, at 8:40am, i walked over to the run - for my first 5k, i picked the one my church was hosting. pure GENIUS! i did this for a few reasons:
- it is our church
- it is two blocks from my house - so i could crawl home if needed
- the date - i started training late july, so september 29th was perfect
- i was praying to god and the angels to carry me over the finish line...lol
- and lastly, all the volunteers was members of the church - they lined the route, cheered you on, smiled and were just happy to see you. love when people are all "churchy"
i found my place all the way in the back of the pack. i was in fact, the very last person in the start line. heck, even the lady with the double stroller was ahead of me!! i did not care - i was going to follow my training and listen to my lungs of knowing when to slow down. had my playlist on and the starting gun went off. ironically, i found that i was ok - in my mind i was running slower due to my bronchitis. i stayed on my target 2 minute run/1 minute walk. as it turned out, i did not need any additional walk breaks. i used my scheduled walk breaks to keep my breathing on target and use my inhaler as needed. i ran all three inclines on the route - made me happy to do that. there were no mile markers - just happy volunteers guiding the route and waving as you passed. so i really had no idea how far i had gone and how much more i had to go. then as i passed a volunteer he shouted out - "you are almost done!" i looked up and indeed, there was my church in the distance. one more incline to go - i ran it - passed the one and only mile marker "3"!!!!!! i slowed to a walk just to use my inhaler, change my song on my ipod, then ROCKED it to the finish.
throughout my training, my time for 3.1 miles was around 42-49 minutes. imagine my surprise when i saw the big timer and it was 37.07 - my BEST time ever!!!! BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER!!! the official times were not posted right away and i totally forgot about it until today when i went to their facebook page and it provided a link. pulled up my name and my time was actually 36:53!!! YAY ME!!!!! not too shabby for the newbie!!!
here i am after the race with my kiddos - cuties :) right after this, i promptly got my butt over to the minute clinic to get my much needed antibiotics for that case of bronchitis that was brewing!!!
running was just something i never thought i would ever do in my life. it was not until i started going to my bootycamp class that included jogging, sprints, etc.... i wanted to take this class, i wanted to get stronger...i knew i needed to find a way to make it work. started power walking again...then started little jogs here and there...learning for me was that it was all about creating balance between my pace and my breathing AND knowing it is ok to take my walk breaks to keep it under control. with every 5k i enter now, my goal is to be able to run a little bit more and walk a little bit less...as always, it is a journey. just another brick in the wall.
along with pace, breathing techniques, and mind control...there is this little thing called form. not having the proper form can hurt you and make what you are doing so much harder. both my bootycamp instructor and my running trainer (jeff galloway - the olympic athlete..tehee) both have taught me form, especially in running. few tips that really have made a different for me:
- your feet should NEVER literally POUND the pavement. you should not sound like a clydesdale!!! your landing should be a light fluid movement.
- DO NOT swing your arms while running or during your walk break - as it burns energy - energy that YOU NEED for your running!!! this was a hard habit to break, especially when walking, but i make a point to check myself when i find myself swinging my arms. your arms should remain at our sides.
- you should always be able to complete a sentence when running. if you cannot not speak a word without gasping for breath - you are running too hard!! i always make sure to give a greeting to anyone i pass on my route to make sure i can speak while running. it is ok to be out of breath - but never when you cannot utter a word.
i found while on my route for the 5k, i heard a lot of feet pounding and i was wearing an ipod with my music blasting!!! and they looked absolutely miserable. i was so tempted to turn around and offer some friendly advice to make their running a bit easier - you know, sharing the love of what i learned, now that i have one 5k under my belt and am a pro-runner...lol. then i thought again, that maybe on a 5k it would not go over so well. thinking i would hear the response "hey, mind your business bitch and stick that perfect form up your AZZZZ!!!!!" HAHAHAHAHAHA - most likely i would have said the same thing if someone stopped me while i was running to offer some unsolicited advice!!!! heheeeeee...
i may be the slow one in the back, but i am doing the BEST that i can for me. i will get better and faster in time, but for now - relishing my win in doing something i NEVER thought i could or would ever be a possibility is pretty damn sweet. i also had set a goal & reward system for myself. goal = drive + motivation. reward = power & Strength!!!
oh well - onto my next stop...tombstone 5K on october 20 - i get to run in a costume - YAY!
then, that bitch of a super spartan that is just waiting to claim my ass on a platter on october 28th!!! oh my....
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