Two weeks ago, my sister and I ran a 5k. This was a major achievement for both of us because one, neither of us ever thought we would do something like that and two, it took a lot of work to get there. I don't what got it into my head to run a 5k, but apparently Amanda and I both got the same idea at the same time. To me, running was kind of this cliche thing, a trendy thing that everyone seemed to be doing lately. Dirty dashes, color runs, electric races...I wasn't going to do it just because everyone else was. I remember cheering for my sisters-in-law, Heidi and Holly, when they competed in a triathalon and thinking that it was really cool but not my thing. I just wasn't the 'running' kind of person. There's a T-shirt that I always wanted to get that says: If you see me running then you better run too because something is chasing me. I actually used to run a lot when I was younger. I ran track for a year in high school. But I don't necessarily look back on that year with fondness. When I was stressed, I used to love to hit a dirt road running and just let the stress sweat away. But that was a long time ago. I had plenty of excuses of why I didn't run--it was too trendy, it's hard on your knees, when could I find the time, I don't like running in the city, I'm too old, not my cup of tea--but then I was feeling blah physically and emotionally. I was feeling chubby and unmotivated, and I knew that I needed to do something to get myself out of this rut. Kind of jokingly, I asked my sister if she wanted to run a 5k with me. She had been thinking similar thoughts and agreed. Next thing I knew we were researching how to get started.
We started training about nine weeks before the race. We used this program called C25K (Couch to 5k). The program claimed that it could get anyone, in any shape, ready to run a 5k in 8 weeks. About two weeks into it, I was questioning that claim. The program started us out at a fairly easy level running three days a week. We had to run one minute, walk three minutes for about 20 minutes. Then the running times gradually increased and the walking time decreased. I remember when we had to run five minute intervals, I really had to push myself. I questioned whether or not I could really do this thing. Both my sister and I planned a few resignation speeches in those first weeks. But we stuck with it. Whenever I felt like quitting, my hardheadedness would kick in (finally a perk to being stubborn!) and I would dig in my heels and push myself to keep going. Somehow I was able to work it into my schedule, thanks to a very supportive and loving husband, and I stuck to it. By the last couple of weeks, there weren't any walking intervals, and we were running for 28 minutes. Sometimes I like to think back and compare the past me with the now me. I remember how hard it was that first time I had to run for five whole minutes. Now I can run for at least 28 minutes. That's so cool to me.
We chose to run the Charlee's Angels Benefit 5k. The race was part of a fundraising event for Charlee, a five-year-old with a disease called Batten's disease. We decided that if we were going to do this, we wanted to do it for a good cause and Charlee fit the bill. Charlee and her family go on my list of people who amaze me. They are a family that is facing an obstacle in life that I can't even imagine, yet they are constantly reaching out to others, cherishing life, and inspiring everyone around them, even people like me who haven't personally met them. So many times, when I felt like quitting I would try to think of Charlee and her family and how quitting isn't an option for them and shouldn't be for me either.
The big day finally arrived, and I was pretty nervous. Amanda and I bought matching spandex running clothes, some halos, and some glitter paint and then we were ready for the big race. It was a neat experience being there with everyone else running for Charlee. There were around 350 runners. Some people were pushing strollers. Some had dogs. Some were all business. It touched my heart to see a large group of runners pushing children with handicaps, including Charlee. Things like that are good reminders for me that there is so much good in the world.
Amanda and I made a little mistake at the beginning of the race. We had never run a race like this before, so there were many things to learn. For example, if everyone is starting at the same time, don't put yourself in the middle of the mix. Get ahead of all the strollers and people walking. The race ran along the Jordan River Parkway which isn't very wide. It probably took us about a minute to weave through people before we could finally start running and then our pace was off a bit. Also, stick to your own patterns and methods. Don't try anything new on the day of a race. We tried these energy boosters before the race that I think just gave me a sick tummy later rather than an energy boost. And they had water in a few places along the race route. I got some water once, but I think it just messed me up. I had never drank water while running during my training, and so I don't know that I needed it during the race. It just broke my pace again. But other than these things, the race was actually a great experience. We weren't even to the halfway point when the first place runners passed us on their way to the finish line. Amanda and I cheered for a lot of the runners who passed us until we didn't have the energy and breath to cheer any more.
I finished the race in 35:19. According to the paper I received, I ran a mile in about 11 minutes. I ended up in 93rd place out of 299 women running the race. I placed 17th in my age category (old fogie). Two of the best moments were first, when I rounded the corner and saw my family there cheering for me. My mom came out to support us and Nic and the boys were there cheering. The day before the race, Sam told me that he had a dream that he ran the race too and that he had a flag that said, "Go mommy! Go Nanny!" So the morning of the race, Nanny helped Sam make a flag with some construction paper and a stick that said just that. So there was Sam on the sideline waving his little flag and cheering. So then I decided to help Sam's dream come true. I grabbed his hand and we ran the last little part of the race together. The second best moment was just that--crossing the finish line holding the hand of my little boy. It was an amazing experience overall. I learned several things:
1. I have the most amazing and supportive husband and family in the world. Nic kept telling me how proud he was of me, and the whole time I just kept thinking what an inspiration he is to me and how many times I just feel so proud of him in all that he does. And I hope my boys know how much it meant to me for them to be there cheering for me.
2. I have the best sister in the world. I love that my sister is my best friend and that she is willing to go along with my crazy hairbrain ideas and come up with her own crazy hairbrain ideas for us to do. Running this 5k together was awesome. Love that girl!
3. I can do anything that I set my mind to do. One time after we had just finished running, Amanda and I were talking. We were both hitting a bit of a plateau and not really seeing any benefits to all of the running we had been doing. I wasn't feeling any skinnier, hadn't lost any weight. It wasn't getting any easier (or so it seemed at the time). What was the point of all of this? We weren't feeling the running high that so many people talk about. Amanda said that she needed to figure out her reason for running. She said, "I know you run because you like to run, but I don't necessarily like it. I need to figure out why I run." That has been rolling around in my head for awhile now because I don't necessarily like to run either. When I think of things that are fun or things that I like to do in my spare time, running doesn't even make my top 100 list. So that got me thinking, why do I run? And then the other day, I figured it out. I run because it's hard, and I need reminders that I CAN do hard things. I like that feeling of accomplishment when I make something that seemed impossible possible. If I can do something like run a 5k, then maybe, just maybe, I can get through those other hard things that come up in life. I hope that I can constantly teach that to my boys too because I know that it's often going to be difficult, but I also know that they have the ability to do whatever they set their mind to do.
So, Amanda, what do you think about training for a half-marathon? =)
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