But one day someone posted on our Weight Watcher group page "does anyone know of any 5k's coming up?" My leader posted a few around the area and within the Twin Cities... and I decided to text my husband who was away for the weekend, to see if he wanted to run it with me. Only I thought I only had 3 weeks to get ready for it...when in reality I had 10 weeks (whew!!!).
So I started to run, and honestly I thought I was going to die... DIE! The first session was running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds (alternating) for 20 minutes. 60 seconds of running is forever and 90 seconds of walking is not enough!!!
Each week would be a new challenge where more running is introduced, but the walk times (sometimes) would increase as well. Each day/week was more running than I've done in my life with the exception of being in sports up until Junior High or being forced to run the mile in High School.
I have seriously thought all along that my feet, knees and ankles (and asthma) would never allow me to run. In High School (yes I KNOW it was a LONG time ago) I would run too fast and my asthma would kick in and it would be a miserable time and then I'd walk most of it. However doing this couch to 5k (and being so out of shape) I made myself go slow. I ran probably as fast as some could walk at first. I never had a problem with my feet (once I got new shoes), my knees hurt every once and a while but I was able to work though it. My biggest issue is my right hip flexor - it HURTS. Hurts real bad. But I've been working at keeping it stretched out as much as I can...and it's helped some.
My biggest accomplishments have been running 5 minutes in a row, then 8, then 10, then 12, then 20 (yeah big jump), then 22, then 25, then 28 then BAM!!! I was ready for my 5k! In prepping for my 5k I decided I needed to try it two weeks ago... Then again last Sunday. My times were:
May 5, 2013: 40:39 -- I did not walk once and I ran it alone.
May 12, 2013: 40:05 -- I walked 1 time (for probably 3 minutes) and I ran with my husband
This week was my race, so I took it easy after the run on Sunday and said I was only going to run on Wednesday and that's it.
I got home from work on Wednesday and wanted to run right away so that I could eat dinner right after and it would just be done for the night. STUPID!!!! STUPID!!!! STUPID!!! It was 82 degrees, huge wind and sunny (in my face then directly on my back). It was my best and worst run. My husband ran with me again and got my page up... we ran the first mile in 11 minutes (my goal was 13 minute miles ... changed from my original goal of 15 minutes). I was excited and pissed at the same time. I didn't want to run that fast, I gassed myself out. We did the turn at 1 mile to come back and shortly thereafter I had to walk. I was so mad (I mentioned that I cried in my post on Thursday). I was super disappointed in myself that I had to walk, but I was starting to feel sick and just couldn't keep going. We walked for about a minute and I was able to run again... then I had to stop again (same thing, walked for a minute or two) and then ran again... and oh guess what - had to walk AGAIN. Seriously this hurt my ego bad! I thought I had this run in the bag! We went a total of two miles and I quit. I wanted to throw up - not sure whether it was from the heat or my utter disappointment in myself.
We got home and I crashed on the bed with the fan on me. I was soooo hot and so uncomfortable - but really should have kept moving. My heart beat was OFF the chart (not really but felt like it). I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror - my face was tomato red. Of course I had a headache instantly and just so disappointed.
Then, on Friday my husband went to go fishing. I decided since I was feeling sluggish... I needed to hit the gym (keep in mind my run is the next day). I was going to just walk on the treadmill - so I started to walk and after 3 minutes of walking I said "screw this, I'm gonna run." I still paced myself but I was putting the speed up and down between 4.8 and 6 (never did 6 before). I would walk 3 minutes and run 3 minutes - did that for 33 minutes. Then I didn't have my 10k steps in... so I walked it out to 60 minutes to get my steps in.
I was hoping that it wouldn't screw up my race today and it didn't! Thank the Lord! Today when I woke up it was pouring rain, cold and windy. I was hoping for cooler weather but I'm not equipped to run in the rain. I wanted to just stay home and not go, but my mom was coming (driving an hour) to see me run. So I decided screw it and got dressed. We headed over and one of my Weight Watchers friends (holla Kara) was there waiting for me. She was going to run it with me. She and my husband of course. They were so good to me - they stayed with me the whole time, when I know both of them could blow me out of the water.
I did not walk once.
It stopped raining SECONDS before the race.
I got hot, but not terribly hot.
I did it.
I finished it.
I finished it with a better time than my other test drives!
My original goal was to run just 1 mile (straight) then it was 2 miles, then it was to run the whole thing (everyone told me not to set such high expectations - but I can't help it)... then it was to finish with 15 minute miles... then 13 minute miles... and finished with just over 12 minute miles! People - it's good to have goals -- then you can beat them :)
I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!!! (and I'm so close I can taste it)
No comments:
Post a Comment