I decided a few months ago that my current state of fitness was not acceptable. I would go walking for an hour several times a week and try to be active otherwise, but it just wasn't cutting it. A few friends and I decided that we were going to take it up a notch and train for a 5K. The lucky race? The Blood Run because or good friend has been involved in carrying this off for several years. Her son has hemophilia and this run is a fundraiser for the Utah Hemophilia Foundation. I decided that I would train on my own, because I am here to tell you that when I run, it isn't pretty. Whenever I use the word "run" please insert air quotes around it as I still do a mix of running for as long as I possible can and then walking so I don't die. I used a free app for my training program which was basically the "Couch to 5K" program. I really excelled at the COUCH part of that program... and almost got to the point that I could run the whole 5K, but I still walked when my lungs were on fire and finished it! My time was nothing to be proud of, but I did finish in under an hour, which was my goal :). And now I have a "personal best" to beat next time!
...and after the race. As we were talking about our lovely smell Sara said, "that's the smell of success!" I commented that mine was the smell of survival. I made it!!! The race was at Wheeler farm and at one point the horses (in their corrals) were running with us. There was a whole lot of dust in the air, so during the race we literally ATE DUST. But have I mentioned that we finished? I get a little teary eyed just thinking about it :).
I don't love running. Many have told me that I just have to run a mile without stopping (or was it five?) and then I'll love it. Or I just have to do a race, and then I'll love it. Well, I still haven't found that runner's high, but I'm determined to stick with it, at least until I can really RUN the whole dang 5K. Wish me luck.
