Nathan, me & Stephen
Matt, Stephen, Nathan, me, Paula, Dana, Doug
my gym partner Kimberly
my inspiration, Paula
Well, I did it! I trained for and completed my 1st 5k race! I feel such a sense of accomplishment. This all started when Paula bought a treadmill and started training for her 1st 5k. Then, Dana started going to the gym and working out. Then my mom friend, Kimberly, told me in passing that a local gym was running some great special. So, I went to check it out and ended up with 2, one month trial memberships. So, Kimberly and I started going together. I loved going to the gym. I was soon addicted and would even go bymyself!
My boys do running club at school and they train each fall and spring for a local 5k run. I joked in Oct that I would run with them in the Spring. When the sign ups came for the spring run, I told Paula we could do it together. She agreed and so did Dana, Doug, Matt and Kimberly! I wasn't going to be the only one NOT doing the race so, I started the same program Paula was doing: Couch Potato to 5k in 8 weeks, ( I only had 6 weeks).
Kimberly and I were going to the gym 5 days a week to get ready. Kimberly's goal was to walk the 5k in under 46 mins. My goal was to run/walk in 37 mins. Stephen and Nathan's goal was to finish under 20mins. Paula's goal: 45mins. At the gym Kimberly met her goal, I never got under 46mins.
The week of the race, Paula and I ran on the real road on Sunday evening. Now that was an eye opener for sure. The road is so much different that the TM. We ran 2.3 miles in 33mins. I was a little nervous about Sat. since I had yet to run/walk 3.1 miles. Paula wanted to run the entire 3.1 on Thursday just so we would know. Our goal at this point was to complete in under 45mins. We did it in 42mins! We were very excited and that time helped our nerves too. At least I knew Stephen and Nathan wouldn't completely lap us!
I was hoping that with all the excitement and all the people we would run faster at the actual race. I still wanted to finish under 37mins. I also wanted to be careful to not start off too fast and then run out of steam. The weather was perfect! Thank you God! We started off great, our 1st mile was 11mins! Dana, Paula and myself stayed together during the first 2 miles, running and walking. I got a little ahead jsut past the 2 mile marker and decided to just keep going. I had my Ipod and I was good to go. I finished at 37:18 and it felt great. All of my family was there to cheer for me! I loved it! I couldn't believe how close I was to my goal, and I was not even dead tired. Had I known how close I was to the finish, I would have kicked it up a notch. Paula and Dana were just 1 min behind me, each them busting their personal goals.
I am so proud of all of us. We are all planning to run another 5k again in Oct. And next year we will run the 1/2 marathon in HP!
So a BIG THANK YOU to Paula, Dana and Kimberly for getting me off the couch!
