My First 5K!!

About 2 months ago I decided I wanted to start exercising and getting into better shape. I decided to motivate myself by running a 5K! I had about 6 weeks to train however, the weather here in east TN has been horrible. It has not been out of the 90's and 70% humidity in about 4 weeks. So I had to try to get my walk/running in by 9am and with two kids that was not easy! Then we went on vacation for a week and I didn't get to train any. I got the worst cold ever while on vacation so my 5k was upon me before I knew it and since I had told everyone I was running it. Well, I had to run it!!!

I decided the night before the race I was NOT going to do it. I was so nervous and upset I hadn't been able to train like I wanted to that I figured there was NO way I could even walk a 5k and finish before lunch!! LOL Well with the motivation of my daughter who is 7 and was running it, and my husband who is a seasoned runner and running it, well I had to do it.

I set a personal goal of doing the race in a hour of less. I told myself it was OK if I had to walk some of it just not all of it. The gun went off and there I went running along with everyone else, even some people behind me. Before I knew it, everyone was gone! I felt SOOO alone, no one in front of me that I could see, no one behind me! But I had to keep going. after the first mile I felt like quitting. No way I could run 2 more!! The next thing I knew some guy was yelling out 35min, what?? I had made it 2 miles, one to go! I kept on going, running, walking, jogging, running, etc. I looked up and saw my husband and daughter coming back to run with me!! I almost cried as they had all ready finished and they came back to run in with me. I crossed the finish line in 54min 32 sec!!!! Yes I was last in my age group and 5Th to last in the entire race but I didn't care. I FINISHED!!!!!! I won a medal too!! Besides a trophy in Kindergarten it was my only other award I have ever gotten!

Crossing that finish line was one of the greatest accomplishments of my life. My husband said he had only seen that determination on my face two other times, when I gave birth to my daughter, when I gave birth to my son, and when I crossed that finish line!!! I love my family so much. Looking forward to the next race!