Salt Lake City Adoption 5k Recap

*giggle*  Do you know how cool it is for me that I get to write a RACE recap???  For a race that I ran?!?!?

Okay, let's start at the beginning shall we?

It was a cold and stormy morning.... really.  It was awful.  Our drive from the Frozen Tundra to the Big City was ho.rr.ib.le.  But we made it safe and sound. Just before we headed out for some supper Friday night, I got an email from the race director that the race would NOT be canceled, no matter what the weather was like, but he was trying to modify the course to keep us out of the 3 - 4" deep mud on the original course.  Saturday morning we got up bright and early to get the Rowdy Bunch fed and bundled up before we headed over to Wheeler Farm for the race.  I was pretty nervous when we got there, but I went over and picked up my race bib (can I just say that 125 is my new favorite number???)

We unloaded the Rowdy Bunch, and tried to kill a bit of time before the race started.  I am guessing the temperature was in the low 30s.  And the snow was pretty heavy.

The Rowdy Bunch and I

The new race route had us running a block race rather than the 3 loops originally planned.  I was a bit bummed because it meant I wasn't going to see Brian and the boys a few times like I thought.  It was me on my own until the finish line.  As everyone was getting ready behind the starting line,  I made my way towards the back. I zeroed my ipod stopwatch, and started the tunes.  Raise Your Glass by P!nk came on just as the gun sounded, pretty perfectly.  I had my Broncos hoodie on, with the hood up, that's how cold I was.  I tried to stay near the back because I knew I wasn't going to be the fastest.

The snow made things slick, but not as bad as I'd feared.  About 15 minutes into the race, I started feeling odd.  It took me a few minutes to realize I was HOT! lol  I had been cold so long that morning, I didn't recognize what the feeling was.  I lost probably a minute or so stopping to take my hoodie off and get everything situated again. I was feeling great, enjoying myself and just running.  As I rounded the last corner and could see Wheeler Farm, the tears just came.  I had to walk for a bit because I couldn't breathe.  I knew finishing was going to be emotional for me, but I didn't expect it to hit me that hard.  I started running again, and was so happy (as evidence by my official race photo, which is rather cheesy in my not so humble opinion).  

And then I saw Brian and the boys, and they were cheering (along with all the other spectators at the finish line) and I lost it again.  I ran across the Finish Line, tears streaming down my face, so overwhelmed. 

 The boys ran over and gave me kisses and hugs... it was awesome. So much better than I ever could have imagined.  Matthew kept telling me "I'm so proud of you, Mommy."  And Christopher said "Good job racing, Mommy." ♥  I forgot to stop my ipod as soon as I crossed the finish line, but when I did remember, I didn't think it had been too long.  My ipod said 44:35 - best time yet.  I figured my official time would be close to that, but when the results were finally posted tonight, I was BLOWN away - 41:20.  That's a 13:20 minute mile.  So much for my goal of 50:00 or less, huh?  41:20 is a PR for me.  And such an amazing accomplishment.    I am absolutely going to do this again.  The difference between going out for a run and running in a race is night and day.  

I am so proud of myself, and the fact that I met a MAJOR goal that I set for myself is amazing.  Less than 6 months ago, I made a goal of running a 5k.  To say that I accomplished that is still just amazing to me.  

♥  

P.S.  I am so letting myself feel like a BAMF for running my first 5k in all that damn snow! lol  At least for a little while.  It's okay to be hard core now and then.  :)

This is it...

Tomorrow is the big day.  My first 5k.  MY FIRST 5k!!!  

Okay, whew. Sorry, I had to yell it for my head.  I still don't think it's quite sunk in.  I am still nervous, but it's getting better.  Except for one itty-bitty, teensey-weensy little thing.  I like to call that thing Mother Nature.  Apparently Mother Nature is under the impression that if you live in the frozen tundra, and you travel anywhere before, say April 15th, you should take normal frozen tundra weather with you.  Yes, you read that right.  The forecast for the rest of today (our travel day) and tomorrow from the Frozen Tundra to SLC is SN*W!

Snow.... not quite what I bargained for, but I think it will be okay.  I haven't run in over a week.  Stupid legs think I enjoy being in pain.  And I'm prepared for that again for tomorrow, but I WILL push through it.  My goal is 50:00 or less.  I don't know what kind of a monkey wrench the weather will throw into that plan, but it's going to do something! :)

All I care about though is seeing Brian and the Rowdy Bunch at the finish line.  I've come a long long way since October, and after 3.1 miles tomorrow, I will have met a goal that I didn't know was possible!

♥

12 days and Counting....

And I am FUH-reaked out.  It's just a 5k.  I've got 4 of them under my belt so far.  But this "real" one scares the heebee-jeebees out of me.  Seriously.  Like I think about it, and I feel like I am going to puke.

I've been trying to keep my head out of my running.  All it's doing right now is making the running feel way more difficult. I KNOW I can do this.  I am going to do it.  But damned if the whole stupid thing doesn't make me shake in my running shoes.

Brian's been kind of "eh" in the support department about this, too.  I've told him I am a LOT little scared, and his reply is "So then why are you doing it?"  Makes me want to smack him.  But then the fear subsides a teeny bit.  Because I know why I am doing it.  I've WORKED for this.  I've worked hard. I've been running for 5 months, 1 week and 2 days.  I'm not going to be the fastest runner out there, but I AM going to be the fastest me out there.  And that's the most important thing.  I just need to keep repeating it to myself over and over and over and over for the next 12 days.

A Letter to Me

 Dear Me,

You're stuck.  I get that. Getting below 235 seems like the impossible right now.  You are amazing at self-sabotage.  The scale showing 240 again today proves that.

What I don't get is WHY???  What is it about 230 that seems so scary to you?  It has to be fear that's keeping you from moving forward.  It's not lack of knowledge.  You know what to do, and how to do it.

You've been doing great (for the most part) with exercising and running.  Last week you even ran your first sub 15:00 minute mile!  That's HUGE!  That's FIVE MINUTES less than when you started, PER MILE!

I wish you could see what other people seem to see.  And stop being so damn self-critical.  You're not going to be perfect, ever. No one is.  Get over it and on with it.

Rather than focusing on what you can't do right now, it seems about damn time we start focusing on what you CAN again.  You CAN run so much farther and faster than you could in October.  You have stuck with this since then, too.  That's 5 months.  That in and of itself is amazing.  This is a life change for you.  Not something temporary.  Better get used to the idea, though I do have to say that your outlook for the most part is a positive one.  Not wanting to lose any more ground is a good place to be.

I know you can do this, and more importantly, I know you WILL do this.  We just gotta find a way to get around, or over, under, through, whatever, this boulder in the road!

♥,
me

P.S.  You finally found a 5k to run!  GOOD JOB!  The Salt Lake City Adoption 5k Family Fun Run and Walk is only 6 weeks away.  Stop being scared.  You can do this.  You will be great!  :)  And I know there will be a few people excited to hear about your first race.  So breathe.  just breathe.