Run #3 Remember the Fallen 5K

So I have a month left till my half marathon.  My knee is still bugging me....Did I mention that oh yeah I hurt my knee.  Something happened during my long run on Saturday and my left knee just blew up on me.  It hurt to walk, hurt to bend, hurt to do just bout anything.  It caused my calf to swell and the whole nine yards.

After going in for an MRI and an Ultrasound they found no ligament damage and said rest for a week and you'll be good to go.

So I rested and while I was resting I came across this website www.virtualstrides.com .  This is a place where you can sign up for the race that they have going on that month.  You sign up for the distance your going to run and you run it.  They send you a bib, your track your run and time and then you upload the results on their page.  They send you a medal for completeing the race and the money for entering to to a particular chairty for that month.  The race for May was the Remember the Fallen, anyone that has served in any branch of the military has my utmost respect and this race sounded like a good one.  The proceeds went to Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

About the Charity: The Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) was established in 1980 after a daring attempt to rescue 53 American hostages in Iran tragically ended when a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft collided, killing eight American heroes and leaving 17 children without fathers. What started as a battlefield promise to take care of those children has become the noble cause of the SOWF.

The SOWF ensures full financial assistance for a post-secondary degree from an accredited two or four-year college, university, technical or trade school, as well as family and educational counseling, including in-home tutoring, to the surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty. The foundation also provides immediate financial assistance and support to ensure that severely wounded personnel are able to have their loved ones at their bedside during recovery.

I completed my race (with a still very swollen knee, the dr lied its not all better) in 34 mins. 

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!