My First 5K!!
Today is September 22, 2018. Today I ran my first ever 5K!! I first signed up for this 5K back in May when I really started getting fully back into a good workout routine by going to the gym. I was thinking I had probably gone a little crazy at the time, but it was something I really wanted to do just to see if I could do it, and also just to prove to myself just how far I had come. I also was interested to see just how well it is I would do in a 5K race situation. And, boy, little did I know just how exhilarating it would be!
Last night, I went to bed at like 10:30 in hopes of falling asleep at a decent time and getting a good nights sleep since I was going to have to wake up early and I wanted to be well rested! Well, I couldn't turn my dang brain off and it ended up being well after midnight before I finally got relaxed enough to fall asleep! So I woke up at like 6:30 this morning to get myself ready for the race. I was tired, anxious, and nervous! I got dressed, made myself a protein smoothie, and left for the race. I got there at like 7:15, and just decided to sit in my car and drink my smoothie since my race didn't start till 8:30 and it was quite chilly out. The entire time I was sitting in my car, my heart was pounding, and I kept having to talk positively to myself. I couldn't even finish all of my smoothie, because I had so many butterflies. A little bit before 8:00, I finally got out of my car, and decided to go use the bathroom so I wouldn't have to go while I was running. Even though I went before I left the condo, I think a combination of nerves and the cold air, made me have to go again! haha! Then I went to where the starting line was and waited for my turn to line up. There was a 1/2 marathon starting before the 5K was going to start, so I had to wait for them to start first. Once they were off, then the 5K runners could line up. I put my headphones on and just was in the zone. Literally, could think of nothing else but the run. I just kept thinking of all my hard work I had been putting in at the gym and kept picturing myself running. I lined up by the sign that had the pace I kind of thought I would be maintaining and just waited. Then, the race began.
I just started running, listened to my music, and kept looking forward at the people ahead of me. My biggest fear was getting lost on the course, which I now sounds so silly. This is silly because not only are there runners in front of me that I can follow, there were people literally guiding you and pointing you in the right direction and blocking you from turning down any wrong paths. So, yeah, why I even had that fear I don't understand! As I ran, I just kept going forward and pressing on, running the very best I could, without tiring myself out too soon. There was a spot on the route where I could grab a cup of water, but I was so focused, I totally ran right past it. And when it got to the point that I could see the finish line, I was almost in disbelief. The course felt so short and so simple. And during that final little stretch, I ran as hard as I could possibly push myself right on through the finish line. And the announcer said my name as I crossed and I was just in disbelief. I got a little bit choked up and teary eyed initially, but then all I could feel was joy and I could do nothing but smile. I was given a pin for finishing the race and also a water bottle to drink. I was filled with so much joy. I couldn't believe what I had just accomplished. It went by way faster and way easier than I thought it would. I felt like Wonder Woman!
I then went home and showered and relaxed and later checked all the results of the race. I ran with a pace of 9:28 and finished the race in 29:21. I placed 111th out of 245, in my age group of Females 20-24 I finished 6th out of 10, and out of all the females in the race I finished 44th out of 141! So crazy and makes me so proud of myself! To think that 3 years ago, I couldn't even hardly walk around the block, and now look what I have accomplished! I wore a teal ribbon and a teal bandanna for my Mom to have her with me and for September being Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month! And it really felt like my Mom was right there with me, cheering me on and running beside me! Also, I really could just feel God holding me, guiding me, and giving me the strength I needed to finish the race. None of this would be possible without Him, and I give Him all the glory for this day and this moment! Overall, I am on could 9 and just oh so happy! This has been amazing and one of the best experiences I ever had! I highly recommend to anyone going on their own health or weight loss journey to challenge themselves with something like this just to have the sense of accomplishment! It really is so rewarding! God is good!
Last night, I went to bed at like 10:30 in hopes of falling asleep at a decent time and getting a good nights sleep since I was going to have to wake up early and I wanted to be well rested! Well, I couldn't turn my dang brain off and it ended up being well after midnight before I finally got relaxed enough to fall asleep! So I woke up at like 6:30 this morning to get myself ready for the race. I was tired, anxious, and nervous! I got dressed, made myself a protein smoothie, and left for the race. I got there at like 7:15, and just decided to sit in my car and drink my smoothie since my race didn't start till 8:30 and it was quite chilly out. The entire time I was sitting in my car, my heart was pounding, and I kept having to talk positively to myself. I couldn't even finish all of my smoothie, because I had so many butterflies. A little bit before 8:00, I finally got out of my car, and decided to go use the bathroom so I wouldn't have to go while I was running. Even though I went before I left the condo, I think a combination of nerves and the cold air, made me have to go again! haha! Then I went to where the starting line was and waited for my turn to line up. There was a 1/2 marathon starting before the 5K was going to start, so I had to wait for them to start first. Once they were off, then the 5K runners could line up. I put my headphones on and just was in the zone. Literally, could think of nothing else but the run. I just kept thinking of all my hard work I had been putting in at the gym and kept picturing myself running. I lined up by the sign that had the pace I kind of thought I would be maintaining and just waited. Then, the race began.
I just started running, listened to my music, and kept looking forward at the people ahead of me. My biggest fear was getting lost on the course, which I now sounds so silly. This is silly because not only are there runners in front of me that I can follow, there were people literally guiding you and pointing you in the right direction and blocking you from turning down any wrong paths. So, yeah, why I even had that fear I don't understand! As I ran, I just kept going forward and pressing on, running the very best I could, without tiring myself out too soon. There was a spot on the route where I could grab a cup of water, but I was so focused, I totally ran right past it. And when it got to the point that I could see the finish line, I was almost in disbelief. The course felt so short and so simple. And during that final little stretch, I ran as hard as I could possibly push myself right on through the finish line. And the announcer said my name as I crossed and I was just in disbelief. I got a little bit choked up and teary eyed initially, but then all I could feel was joy and I could do nothing but smile. I was given a pin for finishing the race and also a water bottle to drink. I was filled with so much joy. I couldn't believe what I had just accomplished. It went by way faster and way easier than I thought it would. I felt like Wonder Woman!
I then went home and showered and relaxed and later checked all the results of the race. I ran with a pace of 9:28 and finished the race in 29:21. I placed 111th out of 245, in my age group of Females 20-24 I finished 6th out of 10, and out of all the females in the race I finished 44th out of 141! So crazy and makes me so proud of myself! To think that 3 years ago, I couldn't even hardly walk around the block, and now look what I have accomplished! I wore a teal ribbon and a teal bandanna for my Mom to have her with me and for September being Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month! And it really felt like my Mom was right there with me, cheering me on and running beside me! Also, I really could just feel God holding me, guiding me, and giving me the strength I needed to finish the race. None of this would be possible without Him, and I give Him all the glory for this day and this moment! Overall, I am on could 9 and just oh so happy! This has been amazing and one of the best experiences I ever had! I highly recommend to anyone going on their own health or weight loss journey to challenge themselves with something like this just to have the sense of accomplishment! It really is so rewarding! God is good!
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