5k or bust!

I run. Not because I love it, by any means... but I WANT to love it. I'd love to be one of those people that goes running to "clear their heads".... And they can just run... and run. Again... That's not me.

But I run... a little. And while back home, visiting my parents over the 4th of July, I decided that I'd participate in the 5k that always takes place before the city parade. I've walked one 5k before. But I was running this one. No friends. No family. Just me, all by myself, with my music. Perhaps Chino from the Deftones can sing me to the finish line.

I know, to some, maybe even MOST, a 5k is laughable. It's a warmup. But for me, it's an accomplishment. Growing up, in grade school, once a year we would have, like, an annual "physical" in p.e... I loathed this. You know, height, weight, how many chin-ups, pushups, sit-ups can we do, and so on... and then the dreaded mile. While some kids would take off running with excitement, I feared the mile and would take off, only to stop a quarter of the way through the lap. Yes, a quarter LAP, not quarter mile... I was the chubby girl that tried to speedwalk through the whole thing. And sure, I don't think I was the LAST to finish these runs, but I was never the first and well, not even in the first half that finished.

So this is kind of a big deal for me, the 5k... I run quite a few times a week now, usually about 2 miles at a time, which obviously THAT was something I had to work up to. I tried hard to mentally prepare myself for going further than that typical 2 miles. I made a playlist of a select few songs that are going to get me pumped up... And I go for it.

The goal for me was to just finish. Finish by running the entire time, no stopping. And I did! Today I looked online to see the final standings. I think overall, I got 332nd place! haha. I mean, there were over 500 people, so I'll take it... I also got 15th in my age group (25-29) and that made me happy! There were about 30 or so listed in my group. No matter the number, I was quite the "anti-joiner" in school, so this would be the first time I'd ever "placed" in something. :-)

Most the time I tried to just watch the road in front of me, and not look at all the people gathered along the sides, cheering and watching. I'd find someone in front of me and think, they're going at a good pace, I'll stay with them... and then they'd stop and walk. Alright, well, now I'll follow THAT person... and then THEY'D stop and walk... lol. Finally, I just stared at the road. And that playlist that I'd started? Well, we were all standing around getting ready to run and then it was like "Oh, we're running! Okay..." There was no major warning or anything, so I pushed play on my Nike+ and somehow ended up on "play all" instead... it was a little distracting to have to skip songs, but not too big of a deal. I figure I was able to find the kinks and next time, I'll be better prepared. 

My tank top had my husbands favorite college football team on it... and my shorts were the same type of shorts that he does physical training in. I did this intentionally, so every time I considered stopping, I'd think of him, knowing if he could text me right then, he'd give me the reassurance I'd need to finish. And it just so happened he called me about 15 minutes before the race started, not even knowing that I was in the 5k... I'm a pessimist, so I'd assumed I'd get a phone call DURING the 5k and give a breathless "Can't talk right now!!"... but luckily, he called beforehand, and it gave me that push I needed, to think "I can do this". He reminded me "It's not a race"... Although... lol. It is.

I may have finished right behind some old people, but that's ok. Maybe they've been running marathons all their lives. For someone that never dreamed of running without being FORCED to, it was nice to be part of something just for the heck of it... and finish it without passing out. I think now I'll have to start running 3 miles on a regular basis and start working towards a double 5k.... yes, I know you're thinking "Um... wouldn't that be a 10k?" Yeah. It is... but for some reason a double 5k sounds less scary to me. So I'll call it that.

Wish me luck!