38 Minutes

I am one proud mama today! I am proud of myself! I ran my first 5K today! It is the farthest I have EVER run at one time and I am still in shock that I did it!

It all started this summer when Allen was away on mission trip and Noah was spending the night at Nonna's. I was home alone and didn't sleep much the night before. I was restless and after a night of tossing and turning I had the urge to run. So I did. I just ran in my neighborhood up and down the streets until I couldn't run anymore. I think that was the start of my "running bug". The next day I had the urge to run again and the next day and so on. Soon I started making a habit of it. With the encouragement of my friends Kate and Beth (who are REAL runners), i decided to run a 5k. Of course i would find one really far away so i could get myself ready for it. So just like that I started "training". I am not really sure what I did was really called training but hey, it worked. Since I could really only run early in the morning before Allen left for work or late at night after Noah was in bed, I just stuck to my neighborhood road for my track. Once, i got in my car and drove the streets to try to see the millage of each road so I would kind of know how far i was running each night. And that was it. Other than asking Kate a million running questions, that was the extent of my "training".

My friend Lisa signed up with me and come race day we were excited. My mom met me at the registration table and Noah rode with me in the morning. They both wanted to be at the start of the race. All month Noah had been telling me how he was going to cheer me on but come race day he did everything but that. I know he meant well (i hope) but in his 4 year old self, he had a total meltdown when it was time for him to stay with Nonna, and Lisa and I to go to the starting line. He wanted to go with me. I figured he would calm down once they found their spot on the side of the road and he saw all the runners. Lisa and I were closer in the back and when the race started and I ran by mom and Noah, Noah starting crying again and running after me. Not quite the "yay mom" I was looking for. Oh well.

The race went well. My goal was to make it in 40 minutes or less. I was doing great (mentally and physically) until I got to the start of the 3rd mile. I thought for sure I was almost done and then I saw I had over a mile to go. That was about the time I started thinking to myself "remind me why i signed up to this?, do you think i could sneak out of the race without being noticed? do you think if i fall over dead here in these woods that someone will find me?" But i kept going. Thank goodness for my ipod and the energy gel I took! I finally saw the glorious and heavenly words F-I-N-I-S-H in the distance and I knew I could make it! I crossed the finish line at 38 minutes. YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Under 40 minutes!!! Allen was there at the finish line just as promised. I did it!! Months of training for 38 HARD minutes! It was well worth it!! Now i need to start training for the one I am doing in 3 weeks. My new goal is under 35 minutes.

Thanks to everyone who supported me today and along the way!!

And finally...pictures...


Noah and I before the race.
showing off my awesome shirt (thanks again Kate!!!)
Noah pouting...
Lisa and I before the race....
crossing the finish line (looking like I am about to die)...
Lisa crossing the finish line...
done!!!!!!!
proud ladies!!!