12 months, 12 races, and 45 pounds lighter. Yep, I'm pretty damn proud.
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| I love this. :) |
I have NO idea what came over me in December of 2011, but I had some type of psychotic episode; I signed up for my first 5K. My daughter, then 11, and my mom (60 something) joined me. I don't remember being nervous (I was probably more hungry than nervous), but it was bad. Not only did they pass me, they beat me by SEVERAL minutes. That was it. That was my motivation. That day I decided to set my 2012 New Years Resolution. I vowed to run a 5K a month in 2012. I am happy to say, I did it.
Now, with this being said, I still do not call myself a runner. I do enjoy it though. When I don't get to fit a run in, I miss it.
I have had several people send me emails, messages, etc. who want to know how I did it. Whether they are asking to make conversation, find motivation, or just curious...here it goes...
Before:
Sleighbells on the Square, Dec 2011: 48:39
After:
Sleighbells on the Square, Dec 2012: 35:12 (not too shabby)
Some are surprised to hear that I did not use C25K (Couch to 5K), but I didn't; I trained myself (and continue to do so). Running daily is nearly impossible for me. For starters, it is against the law to leave little ones home alone. Secondly, I've tried to run with them all on their bikes. Below is how that worked...
Before:
After:
Anyway, I use Endomondo Sports Tracker on my phone and log each run. I started with hiking. I would hike up a local (small) mountain and run down. After a few weeks I would hike half way up then run down a small trail. I actually still do that run quite a bit. I like it, too, because I can compare each run. As I stated above, I am not a runner. There is a ton of advice out there for people who run or who are interested in running. Some I have listened to, many I haven't. I do this for me. I am not aiming for the Olympics; however, on occasion I like to pretend that I am winning it. I am not aiming for a marathon. There is no "however" with that. Nothing about a marathon interests me. Nothing. I also have NO desire to run the Peachtree. A 10K in Atlanta in mid-July? Um, no.
My advice to anyone interested, just sign up for your first race. You haven't started training yet? WHO CARES! I assure you that there will be someone behind you in the race. Trust me.
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| Nancy and I at Celebrate America 5K. It looks like she has a sombrero on her head. She doesn't, but it is perfect because we enjoy GNO at La Parrilla. |
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| One thing I did learn through this was that one is better off eating pasta the night before a race rather than GNO at the local mexican restaurant. I nearly lost my cookies during this race. Color Run Atlanta 2012 |
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In June I did the Dallas Dash. It was hell. It was great. Although I tell my kids that the "6" meant I placed 6th it really only says "You ran a race in the backwoods of SC". |
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| In November of this year, I talked BK into running the Turkey Trot at my school. It was only a mile and she loved it. Just check out that grin! |
BTW, I am already signed up for my January race. I challenge you to do the same!
Here are some other answers to questions people have asked:
1. No. I do not buy expensive shoes. I buy what's on sale.
2. Yes. I listen to music. I have read a lot about how you "shouldn't", but I have never read where it killed anyone.
3. I may be guilty of speeding in my '06 Buick Rendezvous, but I am not burning the rubber off the soles of my tennis shoes. In January I ran the Polar Bear Run. According to my Edmundo Sports Tracker, I was running a 13 minute mile. In my 1 year running anniversary, the Sleighbells run, I averaged an 11 minute mile. Again, no speed records broken, but I did increase my speed, reduce my mile per minute, and endurance with each race.
4. For those of you asking about weight loss...I watch what I eat. Sometimes I watch it go right in, other times I have enough willpower to keep to one serving. If you know me well, I never turn down a trip to any restaurant that starts with "La" or "El".... *I will tell you that I didn't lose a pound for almost 4 months. I felt like my results would have been the same watching someone else run from the comfort of my couch, but I stuck to it.
5. I do not have a running partner. I have run with someone else twice...once was when I did the Color Run with my friend Lisa (see the photo above). The other was when my husband and I ran together. Never a good idea. Period.
