Just Do It!

It's finally come... the night before the night before my first 5k run.

No, this whole post won't rhyme, although I'm fairly certain I could do it if I try.

Sunday is when I run my first 5k.  This past Sunday, I thought I should probably get on the treadmill and see if I could even go 3.1 miles without keeling over.  So my uncle and I went up to Anytime to do just that.  (I love when he's in town because 1) I never get to see him, and 2) he's always down to show me up at the gym)  So I got on the treadmill and covered up my time and distance, set my speed to 3.8 (.2 mph faster than I have been running), and just went. 

SIDENOTE: A week ago, I ran half a mile for the first time, all at once.  I was super pumped.  Read on....

Well wouldn't you know that I hit one of my goals: running a mile without stopping.

I never, never, NEVER thought I would be able to do that.  NEVER.  I absolutely couldn't believe it.  I'm not sure how quickly, or slowly, I did it, but I don't care.  It took me 51 minutes to complete 3.2 miles, so I know it was less than a 20 min. mile average. 

And then I did it again on Wednesday.

I'm feeling much better about this 5k now.  Melissa keeps driving home the point that it doesn't matter if you come in first or last becuse if this is your first "race," it'll be your best one yet.  I really have taken that to heart lately because in the end, life is just a race against yourself.  It doesn't matter if you're running slower than the person in front of you because you're not trying to change their body-- you're doing this for YOU.

Whatever time I get on Sunday will be my slowest ever.  I fully intend on keeping up with running because there are some advantages.  "A run never takes more than it gives," or so says Nike.  I believe it.

I did find that the Couch 2 5k program was more of a hinderance than something that pushed me.  I finally had to put it away and just run, not caring when I was supposed to take scheduled breaks or jog.  Now I just go until I need to walk, and when I know I can go again, I do.  If you want to do something, all you have to do is do it.

From here on out, my new goal is everytime I go to run, walk, jog, or any combination thereof, I will never do less than 3.1 miles.  I can't, because I always have to keep moving forward.  I have 3 months before I go to South Africa, and I need to do as much as I can in that time.

I have another 5k scheduled for the morning on June 9 in my hometown.  I would also like to do another one, maybe the Strawberry Festival or Italian Heritage Festival 5k.  There's also this thing called The Color Run that I'm hoping Melissa and I can do together.  With everyday, she's becoming so much more of a friend, and I'm always so thankful she has taken a chance on me.  When I went to run that half a mile the first time, she stayed right there with me and made me push past the pain and the negativity in my mind.  She could have just run on and lapped me, but she didn't.  I thank God daily for her.