So on Saturday I ran my first 5k, the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure, and I had a blast!  There were so many things that I learned and noticed that I really did not expect.  The experience was so new and so different for me, that I almost felt like a kid running around with that child-like wonder. 

Let me start out by saying that there was a ton of people there.  The website states that there were at least 23,700 people registered participants but they don’t have the official numbers yet.  A LOT OF PEOPLE.  Very cool.  So it took me awhile to get up to the starting line because there were so many people packed in waiting for the race to start.  It actually started before I made it up there! 

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I did it!  I did it!  Not only did I run the 5k, I ran the entire 5k!!  WOOOHOOO!!!  Yaaaay me!!!! 

…and now I am ready to crash!!!  Here are some pics from the race!!  I will write more soon about how it went and let you all know my impressions.  I learned a lot from this first race and I can’t wait to share it with you all!!

Okay and one more thing.  In the picture of me running and looking at the camera, I look like a total freak!  I had been looking for Hubby and it was that exact moment that I found him, and the dawn of recognition was entering my face.  So please pardon the goofy look on my face! 

Oh oh oh and we have some video too!  I will post that soon.  The video is funny because it was taken right after I was done and I was ready to pass out from the heat so I was somewhat delirious.
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

So last night Hubby, Aly, and myself went out to the mall where they were having packet/t-shirt pick-ups for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  Wow, did I feel cool walking into the mall for that reason!  I was so excited to get my shirt and my cool number to pin on my shirt while I run!  I get to wear a number!!!  I will really look like a runner now!  (Okay so they give them to walkers to but hey, don’t burst my bubble!) 

The race I am in, the Open Recreational 5k, is set to start tomorrow morning at 9:00am.  Apparently there is supposed to be 30,000 people there in the morning and we will all be taking shuttles from the RBC Center over to Meredith College, where the festivities are.  That will be interesting!

I am drinking plenty of water today to prepare for running in the heat.  Earlier this week I was able to run the complete 5k on my treadmill without any problems.  It felt great!  So my goal for tomorrow is to run the whole thing.  I am not so much concerned with the time at this point as I am with just running the whole distance. 

I will make sure to post pictures tomorrow after we get back!  I’ve asked Hubby to make sure he gets some shots of me actually crossing the finish line. 

I can’t believe it’s finally here!

So I signed up for another 5k!  This one is actually before the Bele Chere 5k and it’s closer to home.  I’m going to be running in the Susan G. Komen Recreational Run/Walk 5k.  I thought it would be perfect to do a recreational 5k for my first one to kinda get my feet wet the first time and see what it’s like (plus it’s at 9:00am versus 7:00am, ha!). 

This race is on June 14th and I am fairly confident that I should be able to run the entire thing, which is really saying something for this girl!  It’s really awesome to be doing these 5k’s and it’s even better knowing that I am supporting such a worthy cause like breast cancer research. 

I recently did my first run outside in the real world, away from the comfy confines of my treadmill… and boy is it different!  I couldn’t believe the differences between the two!  Now, I’ve only done one outdoors run so far (and this was just around my neighborhood) so my perceptions will likely change over time but here are the differences I noticed right away.

First, my breathing is loud!  I got up super early and was out the door at 6:00am.  It was very calm and peaceful outside.  That is, until I started running!  All I could hear was the sound of my own breathing!  Apparently the loud drone of my treadmill had conveniently blocked it out for me at home.  I was seriously thinking, my goodness, I am going to wake up everyone in the neighborhood!  Does anybody else notice this?!  (Note to self: Learn to breath quieter!)

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One thing that I have learned since I started running, is that it is just as much a mental game as it is a physical one.  When I described in a previous post about those days where I would struggle to complete my workout compared to the days where my workout was a breeze, I didn’t realize what the differences between those days were.  I had thought it had to do with my physical ability and possibly soreness from previous workouts.  My new experiences have shown me something completely different.

I still have the days where I struggle to run.  I now know that the reason why is that I am not mentally in the game.  In order for my runs to be “easy” and “a breeze“, I have to be in the right frame of mind, otherwise my eyes are glued to the timer on the treadmill and I am miserable. 

One post that really helped me come up with some mental strategies for staying in the game, is Thankful for 13.2 Miles of Road, from Workout Mommy.  In it she discusses the importance of staying positive during the run and having a list of things to think about for each mile:

Since running is mostly a mental game, I came up with a list of things I will think about during all of those miles. I figure if I can keep my mind occupied with positive thoughts then I won’t even have time to think anything negative.

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For you runners or aspiring runners out there, I found a wonderful article on Runners World about the type of diet we should be eating to continue to run and still lose weight.  Now that I am really starting to be able to run for longer distances (got up to 3 miles yesterday!), I have been wondering if I should be making changes in my diet to accommodate the running.  Apparently, I should be! 

The article discusses what they call the “The Runner’s Diet”.  It talks about selecting the right types of carbs and proteins and distributing them at the right times throughout the day (relative to your running).  Apparently it is the carb distribution that is so important because the majority of the carbs need to eaten before and after the run takes place.  The lean proteins and healthy fats need to be at different times of the day. 

What I also found to be particularly helpful was the breakdown of what carbs we should choose to eat often versus the carbs that should be eaten sparingly, along with the proper portion and calorie count for each. 

I’ve bookmarked this article and will probably be referring to it often.  Hope you find some use in it too!

I was thinking, there are really two sides to this whole getting healthy thing.  There’s the mental side and the physical side.  Let’s call them Brain and Body.  And they rarely seem to agree.

For instance, Brain really isn’t too keen on running.  Brain would rather be reading, sitting at Starbucks sipping a white chocolate mocha, watching Top Chef, or something like that.  Brain thinks running is pretty draining because it takes a lot of mental work to stay focused enough to keep going. 

Body, on the other hand, absolutely LOVES running.  Body loves running so much that it practically begs Brain to take it running.  Body loves the feeling of pushing itself to the limits and seeing just how far it can run.  Body loves sweating, moving, and any kind of activity because it makes Body feel like it’s alive!

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Okay, now I know this is for real.  Check this out:  This morning on the treadmill, I ran for 21 straight minutes!  Unbelievable!  Crazy stuff going on here!  And the really amazing part is that I’m not sore or tired.  I feel invigorated!  Although as soon as I dropped to a walk after the 21 minutes, I started walking crooked for a second.  Not sure what that was all about!  Probably delirious excitement.  It translated to 1.75 miles.  WOW!

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I’m taking the plunge into uncharted territory!  Something I never dreamed of doing in a million years, something so far beyond what I ever imagined for myself, yet something so very representative of my new way of life.  I’m signing up for my first 5k run!  Holy moly!  I know!  (If you are fan of the show Friends, just imagine Monica screaming, I know! and you’ll understand how I’m saying it!) 

So my race (because now that I’m joining, it is, of course, my race) is on July 26th in Asheville, NC at what is known as Bele Chere.  It’s a fun street festival that we’ve been to before, and yet somehow I never knew about the race.  (Too busy stuffing my face with funnel cake?  Perhaps.)  The last time we attended Bele Chere, it was a very hot day.  Luckily the smart people that set these things up have the run scheduled for 8:00 am.  Here is some basic info on the run.

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