Yesterday I ran my first 5K race (3.10686 miles). I really do love to exercise (although running is not my favorite exercise) and I am very competitive (although I am a pretty slow runner). Despite those small drawbacks, for several years I have considered trying out a race. So, when some members of my church decided to organize a 5K race and the entrance fee was non-perishable food items to be donated to local food banks, I decided This Was It! I was going to prepare for and run my first (if not only) 5K race.
For the past year I have been teaching group fitness classes at the local YMCA so training went pretty easily. At the beginning of January I started training by adding a few treadmill runs to my usual workouts and then after a couple of weeks I started running outside. It took no time to work up to the 3 miles but I had to put some real effort into getting the kind of speed that I would need to reach my goal of (hopefully well) under 10 min. miles (I knew there were going to be more hills on this run than I was use to training on and did I mention that I am well aware that I am not a fast runner?).
The day of the race arrived. My husband (who does not like exercise but runs 2-3 x's a week) also decided that he would run the race. The girls came to cheer us on and it was great to do this together as a family.
I was anxious and excited and ready to go!
The race was actually pretty fun. I finished the race in 29:37 minutes with a pace of 9.32 per mile. Yup, I made my goal of under 10 minute miles. Happy Dance!
My girls were right there at the end of the race waiting for me:
My husband is a barefoot runner (he had plantar fasciitis and switched to barefoot running a couple of years ago and since then ~ no more plantar fasciitis). Unlike me he Is a fast runner. He finished the race at 21:33 with a pace of 6.56 mile. He finished 4th overall and 3rd in his age group (18yrs and up!).
Congratulations!
He wears the medal well!
That really was a fun experience especially sharing in it with friends
And my family!
Yup, I foresee more races in the future.