Running Rules

Remember what I said in my last post about not liking running? Forget about it. Today, I love it!!!!!!!!

Last year I finished my first 5k in 39 minutes, 24 seconds. Today, I crushed that time at a speedy 34 minutes 45 seconds. Nearly 11 minute miles. Oh ya, baby!

I stared the race with a friend who planned to run it in less than 32 minutes, so she bacame my dangling carrot. She was wearing a bright pink shirt and if I could just keep her in my sites, I knew I'd be rockin' that course.

At the 2 mile marker, someone called out the time, "23 minutes!" What?!?!? Never in my wildest dreams! Based on my usual pace I was blowing my usual pace out of the water.

I was very winded and had to take several short walking breaks during the last mile. Still, I knew I was going to beat my time because my pink-shirted friend stayed in my sites until there was only a half mile to go.

I was chatting with a 72 year old woman on the course during the last mile. She kept going while I took a walking break and beat me by a minute. That does not bother me at all. This year, I actually stayed with the pack or runners, even if it was at the back. I felt good, I ran fast... for me.

My husband promised to be at the finish line with our kids. When I hit that home stretch, I knew I'd see them. I found a brand new energy and no longer felt winded. When I saw them, I easily picked up the pace. My baby was saying, "Mama, mama" and pointing at me. My boys were clapping and cheering. My husband was smiling from ear to ear.

After I passed them, I looked to the finish line and the race clock. Another "What?" moment occurred. It was 34 minutes and 20-something seconds. Holy cow! I knew I could break 35 minutes. I suddenly was able to sprint to the finish.

That was an amazing experience. I feel so satisfied. I can't wait to run again. I love running!

Running Realism

I am a runner. I run. I didn't used to be. Specifically, I was not a runner until one fateful Christmas when my sister and I thought of the brilliant idea of running a 5k together. I bought new shoes (a month later) and I started to run.

It was a lot harder than I thought. I didn't really like it, but I had a goal... the 5k in June. My sister would be home for summer break and we would complete our first 5k race, side by side.

By May, I was able to run for 20 minutes straight as I pondered the positive home pregnancy test from that morning. Even thought I had doctor clearance, the baby soon took over my body and the 5k plan was "right out!"

Somehow I revived the goal and trained enough t0 complete my first 5k less than 5 months after the baby was born. I was by far the slowest runner at 39+ minutes (half way through the race, all runners were so far ahead of me, they were out of sight), but I never walked.

This year, carrying 15 less pounds and fully recovered from pregnancy, I was certain I would blast that slow time out of the water. Well, the race is tomorrow, and in the last 2 months, I've run, let's see, 1, 2, 3, 4... ya, that's it, four times. Three of which were in the last week. Now I just hope to run the whole thing. Who cares about the time?

Here's the weirdest part of the whole thing. I don't really like running very much. After the first 10 minutes, I don't like how I feel when I run. My right hip always hurts for days after and it causes sciatic pain to flare up on my left side. Plus, there's the toe pain and the headaches.

I'm not complaining. I don't have to run. I know that. I've just been trying to figure out why I do it. I think to me it has to do with pushing myself. Running represents me taking ownership of my body, my mind, my soul and pushing all aspects of me to be more capable than I thought possible, healthier than before, stronger and more determined.

Pushing through something unpleasant for all the positive effects is something very important to me these last few years, and especially now. So, I will keep running, certainly not because I like it, but because it is one of the most positive influences in my life these days.

I am a runner. I run.