Race #2 - Hot Chocolate 15K April 18th

Ok so I really upped my mileage for the next race.  I decided that I wanted to see with a 6 1/2 weeks left if I was anywhere near ready for this darn race.

Let me tell you, RAM Racing was great!  They were so organized, and well prepared that you almost felt pampered.

So the night before the race, Deb, Becky and I went to the EXPO, we picked up race bibs, got a little pre-race massage, picked up more things that I didnt need but wanted and then we headed out to Doolittles and had a pre-celbration dinner, some carbs, sunshine and wonderful company.  I was fine at the dinner, I came home, took my shower and then it was time for bed (5:00AM comes soon).  I laid in bed till almost midnight, unable to sleep, I guess I was a little anxious!!!!

Well of course the morning came way to fast!  I got up had my self some breakfast (english muffin and Peanut Butter) then promptly thought I was going to throw up.  Why was I putting myself through this, who in their right mind would choose to get up super early, drive to a location, jam pack your self in the corrals like sardines and go run for 2 hours...  Was I crazy?!?!?  Then I figured out, I think I'm a runner.

I think I'm a runner now, that put a huge smile on my face, and I immediately said to myself but I'm still a slow runner, and everyone's going to beat me.

We got to Boom Island (after Carrie picked me up, and Deb's husband quite graciously offered to drive us down there) and of course I had to use the bathroom again (I think I already had gone like 6 times this morning)

Deb was running her first 5K in years so we were cheering her on as she got in her corral, then we headed to ours.  I was in my corral, doing some stretches, trying to mentally block out all the other people that were there making me nervous.  They were talking about PR, the last one did they last week, the marathon their training for, the way they can't stand slow runners in there way, etc....  Well headphones in, music on, and away we went.

I ran without stopping for my first 2 miles (this is a first for me, I've never run 2 miles without stopping to walk before)  I started to relax a little bit, look at the huge ferris wheel thats in the middle of NE Mpls (yes, apparently theres a restaurant called Betty Dangers, and it comes with Ferris Wheel Rides might have to check that out later).

The race was awesome, every mile marker I passed I felt stronger and happier, until mile 7.  Mile 7 is when my back and shoulders started to tighten up on me.  I ended up walking most of mile 7, and chatting with some nice people.

The craziest thing happened.....As I was coming down to the last .3 of the race people were walking on the sides and they were encouraging, saying great things, making me smile.  As I crossed the finish line, hearing the emecee say my name I started crying,  Yep crying, I couldnt turn it off either, it was like this huge release in my body.  I know that it wasnt the half marathon but I also know that there's not that many crazy people out there that would run 15K's just because.  It was a huge accomplishment for me and I was so happy.

My race time as 2:08 to finish with a 13.45/mile.......up next the half!

My First Race of 2015 -- Goldy's 5K Run

So I said that I wanted to run some races before the BIG one in June.  What a better way to start than with a 5K.

By this time April 11th, I had been running for 2 1/2 months and was pretty confident with being able to complete that.  Note that by this time I had lost 20 pounds from all my exercising and I realized that I dont really care if I hit 52 pounds lost or not.  My bigger goal now was whether or not I would finish the Half Marathon.

So April 11, we all piled in my car (Me, Jess, Donna, Jim and Liz) and we drove down to the University of Minnesota Mpls campus and got ready to run our races.

During my running I had come to a realization that most of the time, I prefer to run by myself.  I feel bad when others have to run slower to keep up with me or I feel sick if I tryto keep up with them.   I have to keep telling myself that its okay to be slow that I've only been running for 10 weeks, and I'm over-weight and doing the best I can.

While we were lining up for the race, after decided that I didnt want to wait in line for the Porta Potty, then changing my mind, all those things came flooding back...Why Running, What if all my race friends beat me, What if they get tired of waiting for me, What if, What if, What if.  I had worked myself right in to a nice little panic.  So instead I put my earbuds in and started my music, time to tune out the What ifs and get to now instead.  As I ran across the starting line I started to relax, I smiled and started out.  I'm not a fan of trying to dodge people that like to stop right in the middle, or walk in a string, but I forged ahead and just kept going.

Guess what happened, all my friends running the race (Jim, Liz, Jess and Donna), they all finished before me, they all crossed the line, got their water and medals before me. But they didn't get mad, or annoyed, they waited and I crossed the finish line 39:07 with a pace of 12.36/mile.

I was happy and excited and ready to keep going!

Training Schedules

Well after we picked that race, I decided that I better be prepared when it comes time to actually run my race.  The race by the way is June 6th!!

So again, after scouring the wonderful world wide web, I decided on this schedule:

I have been modifing it to fit my needs,  added more weeks, since I was more than 16 weeks out, and HELLO  I can't cut out my Zumba, and after some research I found out that Zumba is good cross-training!

I decided also that I needed to run some races between then (Jan) and now (May) so that I could make sure I was ready.

The first 3 weeks of running were horrible.  I asked myself countless times WHY.  Why did I choose to do this?  Why Running?

The pain in my shins and calves were horrible, which was remedied by getting a new pair of shoes (I love my Hoka's).  I still couldnt run more then about .3 of a mile at that point with out stopping and come on I just wasn't a runner.

Then I started running outside on Saturday's with New Hope YMCA run club.  That was interesing to  say the least.  My snot froze to my face, my legs were pink in patches and I kept thinking WHY?

Well, on week 4 I came to a new realization.  I enjoyed being out side..Sure it was cold, but only for the first mile, until my muscles warmed up.  I still couldnt run very far without stopping, and it hurt, but it was my hurt.  Everytime I finished a run I would say the same thing, at least I finished and I know, I'm not that fast.  My friends kept telling me to not worry about my time, that will come when it does, to focus on the finish.

That's a hard thing to do when your running with a run club and there all out of site and its only been 5 mins in to the run!

Why Running

So back in January, I made myself a goal.  I said that I wanted to lose 52 pounds.  Thats 1 pound every week of the year and why not.

Having set that goal I decided I need to pick something to do that would keep me engaged.  I picked Zumba!  I love Zumba, I love dancing around and being silly, I love shaking my booty, moving my arms, and having fun with this great group of women that I was working out with.

This group of women is my Mom's group from the YMCA, its a bunch of us that got sick of sitting there watching our children swim on the swim team for hours at a time 4 nights a week.  Jen starting going to Zumba first, after hearing about how much fun it was I decided to give it a try.  Okay, seriously the first month was a trying expierence, I looked like a spaz (yes a complete spaz) and my body hurt in places that I didn't know I had!  But as I kepy going I started to have this Love/Love relationship with it and found that if I missed Zumba I was very sad.

Right around this time my best friend had decided that for some insane crazy reason she maybe wanted to run a half marathon.  Good Luck I told her.  Your crazy!!!  She asked me if I wanted to join her, I told her I'd be there to cheer her on.  

Well a couple days later I decided why not? I'm not a runner by any means, but its been on a bucket list.  How cool would that be, to be able to say I accomplished something I always wanted to do????  So I set out to run a half marathon.  The one that we were going to run, ended up not being the one for us.   Well after researching all the Half-Marathons that were out there in the Twin Cities (and believe me there are a ton of them) we decided on Lola's Half Marathon in Wacona, MN.