So...I RAN (no walking involved) a 5k this past weekend. What? Exactly...I know..I did what? Me and running go as well together as... drinking OJ after brushing your teeth (sorry, first thing that popped into my head). But anyways, I HATE running....and have always been so intrigued by the people that sign up to do these races for FUN. As a result, I have also always secretly wanted to (still not exactly sure why) do a race just so I could say that I did and since it would make me sound so...I don't know... athletic? Something I have never been considered before, ask my brother, Josh. He laughs whenever he even pictures me doing any sports. Not sure why...I do enjoy them for the most part. But anyways, I love to be spontaneous and do the unexpected. Hey, I even surprise myself sometimes :)
Anyways, it worked. I committed to doing this race a few months ago and as a result, started/ more like needed to train for it and my friends were always impressed when they heard/saw me running. "I didn't know you're a runner"....Me:"I'm not"....Them: "Oh...hm...so..then...?" Yeah...I asked myself that every time I ran.
The local zoo here is free and wonderful but in order to keep it so, it holds these annual zoo runs/walks to raise money. I figured that since it was in the area and doing a race was for some reason on my bucket list, might as well get it over with while I'm still young...and so, the LONG process started.
My first ran started like this: I ran...jogged... a block...okay, not even a block...and had to keel over out-of-breath. haha...I was dead serious about the part where running and I don't get along. I went back home roughly 8 minutes after starting and Bryce laughed.
SLOWLY...I was able to run around our little neighborhood (we are talking weeks here)...and then I got to the point where I was able to run around the neighborhood and not be in pain while doing so...and then.... I got bored. Running is SO boring! Without my body whining in pain, I didn't know what to do with my running time....hm...I ended up letting my mind start wandering and it always ended up asking myself why I was running again...and then it reminded me all over again how much I hated it. So...I added music to the run and it helped a little... only a little.
If I was ever going to be able to get to the my goal of running this race, I needed to do something different...so..I ended up going to the neighborhood community center where they have a few treadmills...and no tv...so besides counting how many tiles were in the ceiling, I had no idea what to do. So I ended up bringing a book and it worked! I would get lost into reading and totally forget what I was doing...and besides nearly falling off and feeling sick a few times as I tried to read while bouncing up and down...I would look down when I was done and would be AMAZED that I actually ran a mile...mile and a half...two without dying in the process.
Well...the race rapidly approached...two weeks away and I figured I should probably get out of the air conditioned club house and try to get used to running outside in the 120% humidity. I would plan out my routes on google maps to run 3 miles but never came close to doing it. I always got SO bored and never ran more than 2.5 miles. I also hated the idea that no matter where I ran, I would have to either walk or run back to the house...so I chickened out and usually stayed close...(something, I loved about the treadmill, when you're done, it's over and you're right where you started).
I did, however, manage to win three tickets to the race! That was wonderful! It killed me every time I tried to commit to actually signing up for the race...paying for something I hated...not happening. haha.
The morning of the race came and I was so nervous, that I didn't sleep the night before and woke up feeling horrible. Oh, wonderful. Bryce and Brycen planned on doing the race but only since we got the free tickets. Bryce refused to go running with me every night I went for a few months (he hates running as much as I do, unless it's part of a sport and leave the A/C to go running? never. haha) but the idea of a free t-shirt and breakfast won him over in a heart beat and he also liked the fact that he could claim that he did a 5k, at no charge, and never had to do another one. We get along well :)
Waiting for the race to start.
I wasn't too nervous about the race itself, I just hate doing things for the first time. I like knowing what to expect and after I do it once, it's SO much better. I was mainly nervous for Bryce's sake. Since Brycen started walking, we couldn't get him to sit in the stroller longer than 3 minutes at a time...let alone 3 miles. So either Bryce was going to have to carry him and push the stroller or there would be a whole lot of screaming (and that's how I planned on locating them after I finished).
Well the race was worse than I thought it would be. Figures...haha:) Once it started, I couldn't help but pick up my pace as it seemed like half of Indiana was passing me (how was I supposed to be encouraged by that?) So...I started to actually run..not the usual jog...and surely regretted it. After what seemed like forever, I finally approached a group of race workers that held up a sign "1 mile". "Yes, one mile to go!" is all I could think...until right as I was passing them, they yelled out "8 minutes, not bad!" and my heart sank, there was no way I ran 2 miles in 8 minutes...I was already so tired and so bored (I'm pathetic, I know) and sweat was running into my eyes! Yuck!
Thankfully, between the 1st and 2nd mile, they offered a cup of water and that erased my boredom and my constant stream of thoughts, "I'm NEVER doing this again, what was I thinking? How can people really enjoy doing this"...but only for about 30 seconds. I was also briefly fascinated by the fact that after the runners were finished with their cup of water, they just dropped it onto the ground. Was that normal? I have no idea but it felt wonderful to follow in suit and actually be allowed to litter? Awesome. haha. The sound of the plastic cups hitting the pavement randomly was also a fun distraction.
At the second mile marker, I was about to die and I was convinced that we were running more than 3 miles...6 miles for all we knew, could we really trust their measurements...really? Has anyone ever double checked, questioned them? Anyways, the only thing that saved me from nearly breaking my goal of not giving into my tired body and walking, was that suddenly I realized I, me, started PASSING people. Not just any people, but people I recognized. Those that made me feel so slow and stupid at the beginning of the race. I found it fascinating that the people that passed me looking hardcore (short shorts, fancy running shoes, headband, sports bra or no shirt (males only)) at the beginning...were now walking.
Slow and steady...surely,wins the race in the case of me and those now walking people.
Somehow, I found it in me to finish the race, in surprising, 26 minutes and some odd seconds. I had accomplished my two..well three goals: 1: To do a race. 2: To run the entire thing (if I was going to commit to the race, I was going to run dangit) and 3: To finish under 30 minutes (mainly because when I first started "training", Bryce told me that I could walk the 3 miles in 30 minutes (since then, I realized two things : my walking actually might be faster than my running, and running a 5K in under 30 minutes isn't too bad...I'm quite pleased (finished 18th out of 103 in my age group...178/645 over all :) Either way, I was briefly proud and then before my proud-ness could cloud my mind too much, I made me promise myself that I would never run another race. ever. haha.
As soon as I crossed the line, I started drinking some water and immediately listened for Brycen's screaming. It's crazy how in tune a mother is to their child's scream, I would be able to pick Brycen's scream out in a crowd. So I listened. Nothing. No screaming? I would probably only be able to hear it if they were within a relatively small distance..Bryce isn't that slow, is he? hehe ;) Well...I decided that I would just start heading backwards into the race and hope to run into them (like alot of people started doing). Not too far from the finish line, probably about half a mile, I saw Bryce flag me down and that's when I saw it. Brycen was.... asleep!? Him falling asleep never even crossed my mind as a possibility. He hasn't done that in forever...and it wasn't even close to his naptime. That could only mean one thing...he wore himself out crying and so I expected the worse when I asked Bryce, "How long has he been asleep?" Bryce replied, "About 30 minutes" (we were about 37 minutes into the race then)... "So was the first 7 minutes just horrible?" Bryce: "Nope, he just loved watching us pass all the people...so fascinated with what was going on and then conked out" (since Bryce was pushing a stroller, he was forced to be behind the last walker when the 5k run/walk started).
I was astonished at how lovely it worked out. I then offered to push the stroller while he finished and he replied, "No, I.... am... going... to... finish". Haha...all out of breath..red faced...at least that is how I remembered it...he probably would never admit it now :) The real kudos go out to Bryce, finishing the race while pushing a non-jogging stroller.
The race just wore him out!
After the race, they had a pancake breakfast (we both hate pancakes but these were by far the best tasting ones I have ever had) and Brycen woke up halfway through and within seconds saw that we were eating and had his mouth open saying "AHHH" before we even realized he was awake. Apparently the race made him starving as well.
Yes...I'm proud of myself :) For the first time ever, I'm wearing one of those number tags!
All in all, I do feel very pleased that I did it. It was a nice family outing, one I hated doing at the time, but it made us all feel healthy and good about ourselves afterwards. Will there be another? Who knows.
We didn't think to take pictures until after breakfast and after they started taking it down...hence the time clock :)
I have surprised myself once again and am STILL running. As much as I hated actually doing the race, I hated "training" for it even more and I am really very pleased that for the first time in my life, I can run a couple miles straight with relatively little pain (if I jog, not run run). And even though I hate the running part, I love how my body feels so accomplished and healthy afterwards.
So, as for right now, I want to keep it up (can't promise for how long) and have gone back to my treadmill/reading runs at the community center this week. As long as I have a good book, I get sucked into the story and my body totally forgets that I'm actually running. I actually look forward to it at the end of the day because it is my "ME" time when Brycen is in bed, Bryce is getting some work done on the computer, and I get to have my reading/exercising time. Very precious time to me since I don't ever find time to read otherwise and I love reading.
The End.
Sorry for the novel. I figured since I'm probably only doing one race EVER...might as well record it as best as I can and that way, if I do ever feel crazy and start thinking I will do another, I can re-read this and talk myself out of it :)
P.S. I also did this run for you Josh, I knew you would first not believe me (I made sure to take pictures) and then maybe feel proud...? haha....picturing you, picturing me running and you laughing was fun to think about and kept me going. For those who don't know Josh (he my older brother, is studying to be a doctor, and LOVES to run...yes, I agree, he's nuts!) ;)
