I CAN do it!

With my fundraising goal met and my injuries from the Fiddler's 5k healed (mostly) it was time to focus on my training.

 

I took a week off from training to get my shin splints and kneed healed and rested. But that 1/2 marathon will be here before I know it. No more excuses.

 

This past week was really busy with work and I found I could only get out and train once and it was a very wimpy 2.5 miles. I wasn't feeling the motivation and barely even ran. The most I got out of that run was the fact that a seagull pooped on my leg while I was running #floridaproblems

 

I registered for a 10k earlier last week, the Winter Park Road Race, after two of my DC teammates encouraged that to be our Saturday training. Even though I had already completed 6.5 and 7.4 miles in past trainings, I felt no where near where I should be and felt nervous about completing it.

 

My two teammates have been doing interval trainings (walk 1:30, run 1:30) and I had decided I would do that with them. One even asked the morning of and I said "oh ya, I can't run this."

 

It was a pretty crowded race and I was started a little towards the back, which is where I was comfortable with. Starting the Fidd's 5k at the front was awful, I started way faster than I had planned and it killed me around mile 2.

 

I started jogging very, very slowly. I was caught in the crowd and I tried to stay with my friends, but I just couldn't go any slower, I felt like I was jogging in place. My first mile was over 12 minutes, and after I hit the first mile the slower racers started tapering off, the faster ones were long gone, and I was surrounded by runners who were at my pace.

 

I was feeling really good at this point, wasn't to tired, nothing hurt, and feeling a lot of energy. I made it to the 2 miles at an 11:30 pace and I was still feeling great. I wanted to make it to the 5k since I had never run a full 5k before.

 

I made it to the 5k and was still feeling good, so I changed my goal to make it 4 miles.

 

Once I made it passed 4 miles I was starting to feel tired and was thinking about stopping and walking for a little bit...but then I heard "you only have 2 miles to go, you are over halfway done, just keep going." And I didn't stop.

 

There was a water stop at 4.5 that I grabbed as I ran through, but kept going.

 

When I hit 5 miles I was really struggling. I wanted to stop so bad, but at this point I had ONE mile to go! I could do it!

 

I kept thinking if I could make it through this last mile I could officially say I ran the WHOLE thing!

 

On previous posts and status's I make sure I say I COMPLETED x miles, I don't want people thinking I'm actually running this stuff. I'm no super women, I am really starting at 0.

 

If you've seen this vine, you'd know what I'm talking about. You must clap while you say it.

"Do it for the vine, do it for the vine, do it for the vine."

 

I wasn't vining, but I did want to make a status, so this went through my head:

"do it for the status, do it for the status, do it for the status"

 

That last mile was seriously so tough, I couldn't go any faster even if I wanted too. I could see Park Ave right around the corner and I could see the finish line in the distance. I kept panting "omg, I'm almost there, I'm almost there," which may have caused the wicked side pain I got the last .2 miles.

I usually finish my races pretty strong, but there was nothing left, I just wanted to finish.

 

As I was getting close, I heard my name called out and I saw my dad! He was in Florida for business but didn't think he would be in WP in time, it was so great to see him so close to the end of my race.

I finished the race in 1:11 minutes and average 11:33 mile. Not to shabby I think.

 

With a little bit of celebrating afterwards, I was feeling pretty great about myself. It was an awesome feeling to push myself and to prove to myself that I really CAN run!

Now, I have no excuses when I train.

Right after I finished

And I got my beer!

Fundraising & Running Update

Miles: 7.4

Money Raised: $3,670.36

Percentage to Complete: 115%

Amount to raise to ROCKSTAR STATUS: $529.64

Days till Race: 42