5K = 3.1 miles

I've decided to run a race tomorrow!  It's the Grissom High JROTC Wounded Warrier 5K.

I've done three 5Ks in the past (all were Races for the Cure), but I didn't do any of them to participate in a race.  The first one was in 1996.  I went just to be a part of something.  It was the most amazing experience!  It's my understanding that was the first year it was held in Arkansas and there were 7400 participants.  I did the whole thing pushing a double stroller (walking mostly, with some bursts of running)!  My daughter was just over 2 years old, and my son was just about to turn 4.  The following year, if I remember correctly, the participation grew to over 10,000.  Did I mention that all the participants in the 5K race were women!!!???  They had banned strollers in the 5K so my son and I did the 1 mile "fun run", while I pushed my daughter in the stroller.  He loved every minute of it...well, he loved the parts where we ran.  Mostly he loved that I was huffing and puffing saying I couldn't keep up with him!

Both times, it was amazing.

Several years later, after my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, my family (second husband, son, daughter, and step-son) walked in the Race for the Cure in NW AR.  That was not a good day for our family...but that's a story I don't care to tell.  We all wore "In Celebration of" placards on our shirts.  The race suddenly took on a whole new meaning.  Two years later, I participated in the race again.  This time as a woman going through her second divorce, with two friends who invited me along just to get me out of the house!

This will be the first 5K I will run as a true race participant!!  I am so excited.  I just saw the notice yesterday, thanks to being signed up on First Place Athletics' mailing list.  A big thanks to those guys for being so much more than just a store!

I'm not expecting to set any records or anything.....well, you know what, that's not true.  I will be setting a record, a personal record.  No matter what my time ends up being, it will be the fastest time I've ever set in a 5K to be sure.  So, I should say I have no expectation of winning, even in my age group.....but even that isn't true, depending on how you define "winning".  I'm going to be a winner in my own eyes just by doing the race.  I just won't be crossing the finish line first...but my hope is that I also won't be finishing it last!!  But, since this isn't a big time race (it's not the Huntsville Track Club list of races), and it's not a race for some cause...that might not be the truth either.  BUT, I'm still not going to let that stop me!

Wish me luck!  (You don't say "break a leg" to a runner, just "good luck"!!)  I don't know what to expect, but I'll be sure to post tomorrow night!!

Oh, by the way...that little 10 minute work out I did yesterday that I didn't think really did anything for me.......did something for me!  My back, arm, calf, and ...um (clears throat)... gluteus maximus muscles are a tad sore this morning!  How about that?!

Thanks for stopping by, come again soon!

:D

Nine

I had a great "walun" (more walk than run) today!!  I averaged 4.4mph, which is good considering I only have 15 minutes of interval running.   My fastest pace was 7.8mph!!!  I had six 30-second recoveries and six 45-second recoveries....eleven 30-second runs and two 45-second runs.  It might not seem like great results for some, but it's FANTASTIC for me and I'm completely STOKED!!


I learned something today.  Even when weather.com says it's 45 degrees outside...45, pre-dawn, feels completely different than 45 on a sunny day when the wind isn't blowing.  Since it was 25 when I woke up, I decided to clean my house before going out, to let it warm up a bit....to 45.  But, let me tell you, it got down right WARM wearing the "recommended" 45-degree running clothes (running tights, tech long sleeved top, gloves and ear warmer).

Also, I'm adding a moisture wicking ear warmer to my wish list.  From what I understand, they keep your ears warm (and eardrums protected), but don't get wet with perspiration.

My neighbor told me about a tool they have at a local sports store.  They have a tredmill with a camera that records your stride/gait so you can get the right kind of running shoes!!  I'm going to find out tomorrow if my favorite running store has the same thing....because I'd rather spend my running money there.

Have I mentioned that I joined a running group?  It kicks off February 23rd.  It's a 10 week, 10K training program.  The only two things I'm not looking forward to are 1) the runs are Tuesday NIGHTS (I usually run in the mornings), and 2) I'm nervous about having to keep up with a group.   I'm already having visions of being the last of the pack in Basic and OCS.  (More on this later...)

Thanks for stopping by...please come again!

:D

Eight

I bought some "gear" Saturday!!

I went to a local running store, and, MAN, I was the proverbial "kid in the candy store"!!!  I think I could have spent one of my husband's paychecks in there and still not taken home all of what I wanted!!  I managed to restrain myself and bought only the three things I went in there for--a long sleeved tech top (bonus-I got a hoodie), "tights" (which really aren't tights at all, they're tech leggings), and tech GLOVES.

***Warning:  I'm about to step onto my soap box!!***

(I'll let you know when I'm stepping down.)

Having the right gear REALLY does make a difference.

I think if someone is just going to "pretend" to do something (fill in the blank with anything at all, because any hobby/sport/activity/job/etc will work here), then it doesn't matter what gear they use.  BUT, for the person who is SERIOUS about that thing, having the right equipment can make a huge difference.

For example, I "pretend" to play golf (well, I used to, I haven't even gone that far in well over a year)...so it doesn't matter that I have cheap, generic brand clubs.  It also doesn't matter that I play with used golf balls.  (I make a habit of fishing them out of the water hazards I "donate" to when I play.  I give 2 and try to take 4!!)  Having better clubs, or using high quality, "engineered" golf balls would NOT help my game in the slightest, and would also have no impact on the enjoyment factor.  My husband, on the other hand,  loves golf, and plays well.  So using better equipment makes a difference in his game, and therefore his overall enjoyment of it.

I'm serious about running.  In fact, I'm quickly becoming obsessed.  I've committed to the sport, at the very least until Rocket City is over in December.  But, I have a feeling after I have gone that far (no pun intended), it will be a life change for me.  My best guess is that I'll stick with it even after that.  I have no intention of trying to make a certain time on any race I enter.  Since I've never "RUN" a whole race, I don't have a "personal best" to beat.  However, I do intend on training 3-6 days a week for the full year.  Therefore, I believe having the right equipment is essential for me.

I started out with a great HRM/GPS (Garmin Forerunner 405-thanks to my darling husband who is a techy!), and good shoes. (Oh, BTW, they are Adidas Bounce, not Reabok like I think I said in an earlier post.)  I've added to that short list, good socks (with moisture wicking and arch support), good bras (with moisture wicking and ...support...), and the "candy" I bought this weekend (see above).

My favorite purchase was the gloves.  They are AMAZING....and I think they are the best example of what I'm talking about.  On my last (cold-day) runs, I wore my winter gloves.  My hands would have frozen without them, but they were dripping wet (and the gloves were wringing wet) with them.  Today, I used the tech gloves.  My hands stayed warm, but the air was still able to circulate...and when I took the gloves off--my hands were DRY!!!   :D

***Okay.....stepping off the soap box now!!***

 So, anyway, today was a GREAT training day.  I got in 2.3 miles.  I started my intervals at 10 minutes (instead of 15), and I tried to shorten my recovery phases down to a consistent 45 seconds (with a couple of 60 and a couple of 30 thrown in).

I love the feeling there's more run in me when I get home!  It's hard for me to NOT keep going, but everything I've read says to train SLOW and STEADY, so I'm sticking with the plan.

...One more thing before I "publish".  It's really an encouragement to be "seen" by other people.  I'm not talking about all the people who drive past when I'm out there (although that's encouraging, too).  I'm talking about anyone who might be reading this!!  (((LOOK-I have an actual FOLLOWER, and it's not my mother!!)))  I thought when I started, this my words would just be going out into a cyber-space black hole, never to return (or return void), but that is proving not to be the case.

So, to everyone reading this, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!!!  Any comments on ways to improve the blog--or training tips--are welcomed and appreciated.

:D

By the way, Mother, all you have to do to "follow" me is click on the "Follow" button!!