Oh what a time

Happy Post-Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday!! Hope you all got to enjoy sometime with your loved ones! I decided to do something different this thanksgiving! As most of you know, I've recently decided to try to become a runner! Originally I was going to run  a 5K this thanksgiving with my brother, but unfortunately he injured himself last week playing basketball and has a torn ACL. So it would happen that I would run this thing by myself. I was very nervous. I'd really only ran two this fall and only taken 30 seconds off my time in over two months. Of course, one of those months I was injured. So last week boot camp started again and the week before I found a running app that coached me and changed the music to my pace. I also purchased some new ear plugs. My other ones would not stay in my ears. I found some IronMan plugs that were guaranteed to not fall out. I also posted on fb welcoming anyone to send encouraging texts during the race. The night before, I was sore from bootcamp and decided to do my yoga DVD that I bought this summer. This summer, I would do yoga at night and fall asleep during the meditation. I had to set an alarm so I didn't wake up on my floor at 1 am. But I knew it would be good to stretch. The yoga was just as fabulous as I remember (I hadn't done it since camp ended...) however, I'm not sure if I was stressed about the race or if I'm just stressed more in general this time of year, but I did not do a good job of meditating. In fact, I watched the end of the video and completed a part of the DVD I didn't even know existed. The stress may be a combination of both, but I've decided to make myself do the DVD more often.

Morning of the race, I set my alarm for like 6:45, with a race time of 9:00. I woke up at 5:45....I got up ate some breakfast, drank some water. Tried to relax a bit. Decided to get there early cause I didn't really know where I was going. I sat in there car and stayed warm for a long time but then decided to get out and warm up a bit. There were tons of people! My app has a race day option so I moved it to that day, it was a few weeks away, and uploaded my new playlist to the app. When we moved to the starting line, I could sense I was too close to the front. Right as we started I got the first of many texts from my cousin Kim. Of course I received several pre race texts from my friends Monica, Kristi, and Adam. The app helped me stick with my 1 min walk, 1 min run ratio, although in the first mile, I did more walking than running. I think that's why I did so well. My friend David once told me that the beat thing I could do was not push too hard at the beginning, save it for the end. I think I did that this time. I received many texts during the race from my brother, mother and many more from my cousin Kim! I also received texts from coworkers/friends Janet, Mary and Jennifer. A little more than halfway through, my app had a malfunction. It somehow started running two programs at the same time. The last half a mile or so I had to turn it off and go back to my playlist. But I was astonished at the time, I had a feeling that I was going to improve my time but was not sure by how much. The finish line was in between this parking lot. So I decided I would run when I got to the lot. Well, that was taking too long so I started running before. The worst part of the finish line was that all the early finishers were trying to leave while I was trying to finish. There were a bunch of people at the finish line and a few standing in front of the clock. In fact, I couldn't see it until I was almost there. When I saw that it said 43: something, I ran just a bit harder. My goal since September was too finish under 45!! Somehow the clock said 43!! I knew no one at the finish line but people were cheering for everyone. I got a good job from a complete stranger. When I crossed both lines and made it around the fence, I truly had to fight back tears. Over a year ago, I had barely walked a 5K in under an hour.  Now somehow, I had made it under 43!! I had to sit in my car for a while before I could drive home. I was shaking from the race and the emotions and the cold. I sent messages to everyone who had encouraged me. I also started thinking of what I could do to take three minutes of my next one! I'm excited to find out how much time I've taken off my bootcamp mile since August. My first mile took me 14 min and 48 seconds. I just feel so much better than I did a year ago!! I can't even remember how I felt when I was living in midland, which was probably when I was living life the unhealthiest. I'm so proud of what I've done. I can't wait to set a new goal for myself so I can reach it. You know how much I love competing, if only I had realized sooner how awesome it was to compete with yourself!! 

I ate some of my dad's new apple pie yesterday with no regret. And had a few celebratory cocktails throughout the day! Haha! 

I had to write this blog for me, firstly. For the times when I have a bad workout. Or start to wonder if I should workout or not. 

I also had to post this as a thank you to all of you wonderful people reading this!!! I'm glad to hear so many of you say you would run the next one with me! (Or have a drink waiting for me at the finish line!!) Honestly,  if I can become a runner, anyone can. 

Oh and Betsy, if you're reading this, be patient. I've conquered completion of 3.1 miles, but I need some time and better outdoor weather to be prepared for 13.1 miles, but I'm working on it....I promise. I just need to get a better time and longer runs in. We may need to find a 5K/half marathon somewhere...

Thanks everyone!! Now stop reading and go workout!!! :) 

But wait!! This song said exactly how I felt yesterday after my race, so I'm sharing with all of you! Go make a promise to yourself and make sure you keep it!! :)