Goal #34: Run a 5K

The time had come. This morning at 8:30 a.m. I was preparing to run my first 5K. That's 3.1 miles. 

I started training about 7 weeks ago and I couldn't even really run a mile. I did a Couch to 5K program through an app called 5K Runner. It's an 8 week program but I didn't have 8 weeks to train so I skipped some of the workouts the first 2 weeks. In the beginning I thought it was hard to run for 3 minutes straight! The program eases you into the whole running thing so by then end you are running like a champ. 

I had been training in fairly warm weather. Shorts and a t-shirt weather or capris and a t-shirt. This morning was downright cold... and windy. It was 34 degrees during the race. Did I mention windy? I thought my thumbs were going to freeze off. 

I was trying to look happy and not cold. 

The race started by some road construction. Yay. The start line was actually where the gravel from the road construction met the asphalt. I was about halfway back from the start line to the last people which means I was in the gravel for a few seconds. That was ok but they had us run on the road a few hundred feet and then we merged all onto a paved trail that goes up the edge of the river. Of course, my clumsy ass self about turned my ankle going up the curb to the trail. I was ok but I sure felt dumb after a volunteer yelled "Watch the curb!" Gee, thanks for telling me AFTER I almost fall on my face. 

The trail was beautiful with the river and the changing leaves. A lot of people were passing me and that's not the BEST feeling in the world but I was passing some, um, older people. That actually made me feel bad too. 

I found out close to the end of the race that the iPod Nano I had been using to track my distance during training was about .79 kilometers off. Not to my advantage though. Curses! I kept a steady pace throughout the race and tried to run faster at the end. I felt like I was running pretty fast as I crossed the finish line but the video makes it look like it was a leisurely jog.  I look like I was dying! 

I finished the race in 30:?? I have to find out the exact time but Jimmy said it was 30 minutes and something. I'll take it considering I thought I was running a 5K in 28 minutes during training when I really had another .79K to go. 

**UPDATE** Just got an email from the race coordinator. He said I was 7th out of 18 in females 25-29 with a time of 30:41, pace 9:54/M.

I learned a lot through training and even more at the race. 

-I can do anything I set my mind to

-My body is stronger than my mind thinks it is

-A little self encouragement while running really fends off those negative thoughts of not being able to do it

-Running in the cold is no joke

-You have to reel yourself to the finish line to see your favorite cheerleaders

This is what was most impressive to me: The top finisher for females finished in 20 minutes. She was 12. I'm amazed. 

Race Stats

Jimmy wants to run a 5K now!