My first 5K

About 4 years ago,  my sister called me up one summer day and asked me if I wanted to do a 5K with her.  I was very pregnant at the time and had just returned from Martin's Cove in Wyoming and had NO desire whatsoever to do something like a 5K.   I pushed it off to "later" and "when I'm not pregnant."   Then, my sister got pregnant so I was off the hook for a little while longer.   Then, I was pregnant again and was spared yet again!   (seems like a vicious cycle, eh?).   Anyway, after Blake was born, I had some mindset changes, some weight changes (in the downward direction!!) and decided I wanted to challenge myself.   So, I talked my sister into signing up for a 5K with me!   She did it, even though she is pregnant again herself.   We talked our sister-in-law, Kara, into signing up too!  Yippee!

Now the hard work began.   I am not a runner, do not profess to be a runner, or even like to run.   I signed up for the 5K as a walker (to be on the safe side) but I wanted to run as much as I could.   I have an awesome long-distance friend who is a runner and she offered me lots and lots of advice and encouragement!   Thank you Francys for all your support and long distance cheering!   It helped so much to know that "a real runner" was cheering for me!!

Race day dawned beautiful, sunny (whew!) and cold.   I was prepared though.  Beckie and I had gone the night before to get our goody bag with our shirts and our numbers.    My shirt was a little big but who cares!   Haha!   So excited and a little scared, not knowing what to expect, the race director was there and she was so great!   She really put us at ease about the 5K.     

Getting ready before the race.   Garrett thought having my very own number was very cool!

Waiting for our instructions, taking in the sights.   So excited!!   It was cold out but I knew as soon as we started moving, we would warm right up!

Some of the awesome people there!   These girlies were all from Mountain View hospital, decked out in
 80's fashion and tutus!

Kara, Beckie and me at the halfway point and feeling great!   We  would run  some and then walk some
and we stayed together.   I loved that!

Me, just after crossing the finish line.  I felt awesome and so excited about what I had accomplished!

Beckie, filling up on the yummy snacks!

Thats right Kara!   You are awesome!   WE are awesome!

It was so bright out and we were on a high.   I had heard about the high you get after a race.
  Its awesome.  I am so ready to do another 5K!   Plus, we all walked away with prizes.  Yay!

 ButtIn Gear were the organizers of this event and they were awesome!   Everyone was so supportive.  It was an out and back course and the runners/walkers were cheering each other on the whole way.  I loved that!  That's how everything should be in life.   Support each other!   There was a lady there, she was 71 1/2 years old.  She had been doing 5K's for 1 1/2 years and this was her 15th one!   What an inspiration!!

We finished with a time of 46:46.  Not great but not too shabby either.   My goal is to do more races and beat my time each time.  Next year, when I do this very same race again, I want to SHATTER my time!   For me, though, the whole thing is not about running or racing anyone (except myself).  It was about setting a goal for myself, working to achieve that goal and increasing my level of fitness and overall health along the way.   I am so proud of myself to have done this and look forward to the next one!

Thanks so much to Beckie and Kara for completing it with me and for everyone who supported us!!

**Sidenote**   I was secretly hoping to do my next 5K two weeks after this one but a lovely ankle sprain later in the week put the kibosh on that.   July 4 (if I'm not working) is my next goal!