For me, I picked a 5K race nearby my home. Though the weather was to be upper 40-50 degree temps and clear...that did not happen, it is Chicago after all. Weather was cold, rainy and damp. I had my gear ready - specifically a green shirt and some crazy green striped knee socks to join in the "green" theme for march races. One of my fitness goals for 2013 is to finish a 5K in under 30 minutes. My last race in December 2012, I finished in 32 minutes, so I was prepared to finish somewhere around 33-31 minutes. My runs since the holidays have been hit or miss, I did get some training in...not as much as I would have liked - but I definitely felt ready for the race. This would be my 6th 5K since I started my running adventure. I started training and/or learning to run late July of 2012. So, I have been doing this for about seven months. Still a beginner on many levels...
It was cold that morning which didn't bother me so much, knowing I would warm up once I got running. The rain stopped right as the race was to start - nice play mother nature!!! So, I was ready... new playlist for the race, and my gear was spot on for comfort. What I wasn't prepared for and totally taken off my game plan was the HILLS!! Lots and lots of hills on this course. All my techniques failed and I found I was having a hard time with the hills...heck, there was even a hill right before you crossed the finish line. Somehow, I had enough strength left in me to do a mad sprint to the finish after that last hill, to try to save some lost time. The sprint felt awesome, even better was my friend who also ran this race waited for me after she finished and joined me on that final sprint!
Well, final results came out and I was NOT happy. I finished 35:29. Freaking hills!!!!
True to my personality, I beat myself up pretty hard because of this...and knew it was time to add hills to my training. As I mentioned earlier, this is the Midwest...we don't have a lot of hills - but they are out there...I just have avoided them on my runs and my routes are pretty flat.
However, like everything in life, just when you find yourself wallowing in self doubt and self criticism - you have that "AHA" moment that snaps you right out of it and provides much more inspiration for you to move on....
That my friends came from my favorite uncle. He has been running for over 30 years which includes countless marathons...he is an awesome runner.
The day after my race came another local race, but this was 8K. I chose not to run this one, as I knew I am not ready to move up in distance. Three runners in my family were running in this race, along with a good friend. I was at the race because I am also one of the sponsors and I wanted to cheer everyone on!
It was an awful day for a race. Cold, rain, and wind. Everyone was soaked to the bones and COLD!!! My uncle ran this race and finished. Both of us waited for my aunt to finish - did I mention they are both 60 years old??? As we waited, soaking wet and shivering....he asked me how I did on my race. Still very salty over it, I started to tell him how much I sucked and that I needed to add hills to my training. I mean I am talking to the renowned runner of "Tinley Park"!!!!
Before I could even finish my rant of what an awful runner I am...without hesitation, he looked at me and said, "you will improve and you will continue to improve with your running over the course of the next TEN years"...I was like really, like ten whole years, like who has time for that???? He was serious - and explained to me that it is only going to get better, and this is what it is all about...learning and improving.
WOW! Is it really that simple??? From that moment on, I stopped feeling sorry for myself. Realized it has only been SEVEN months and this was my SIXTH 5K. I have many more runs and races to do, TEN whole years worth!!! my stride and pace will come. There will be lots of challenges to face at every race...and from that we learn. Why be upset???
My aunt did finish that race - soaking wet in a little over an hour. For my friend, it was her first 8K ever, she is a treadmill runner and never ran a complete race in pouring ran, wind and unavoidable puddles in the cold. She also FINISHED...my super fast cousin in law and uncle.... those two are pro-runners, so of course they finished!!
So in the end...age does not matter, weather does not matter, hills are going be present on some routes, as well as other challenges....JUST DO IT! everything will fall into place.....
