A Year of 5Ks

This last year one of my goals was to run at least one 5k every month. On November 17th I made my goal of  running one full year of 5ks. This is probably the first temporal (meaning nothing to do with spiritual) goal I have every set and actual made. I didn't quite make my time goal on my last run, but I did cut my time down 19 minutes in a year. Kinda sad it took me so long to run the first one, and sad that I missed my last goal by 30 sec, but I'm still running and I still plan on improving.
And so.... here's my year.

 #1 Nov '11 Turkey Trot First 5k ever! Time 49 min!

#2 Dec "11 Santa Run

#3  Jan '12 Frigid 5K

#4 Feb '12 Valentines Run

#5 Mar '12 St Patricks Run

#6 Apr '12 Color Run

#7 May '12 Health Days Run

 #8 June NO PICTURE :( 

Elk Ridge Park 5k.

#9 4th of July 5k '12

#10 24th of July '12 5k

 #11 August '12 NO PICTURE :( 

Britten's Run.

  

#12 Sept '12 USU Homecoming 5k

#13 Oct '12 Halloween Run

#14 Nov 3, '12 First Dam Run

#15 Nov 17, '12 Turkey Trot  Time: 30m 30s

 15 runs in a year. Not bad. I've loved every one of them. This goal was do-able for me no matter what health situation I might be in. It pushed me and kept me healthier and happier this year. Plus I have way more energy to play with the kiddos.

Before I started running a year ago I had NEVER been a runner. My first ever mile in Junior High was a 14 min mile at the beginning of the year. I'm pretty sure my PE teacher said, "Heaven help her".  I HATED running. I hated how I felt after, I hated how I felt during, and to me it was just a waste of time and energy. At that time I was a very skinny girl, so I figured, why waste my time running when I'm already little.

So why/how, after 18 years of hating something, could I make a change? Well, in Aug of 2011 John left for a business trip. He was gone for 10 days and during that time I decided I wanted him to be proud of who he came home to. And I wanted to have the energy I needed to keep up with my two small energetic kids. I was still nursing Season which helped the weight situation a lot, but I was also eating full containers of oreos on my own within a couple of days. I couldn't break the sweet eating habit. I was afraid of what I'd turn into as soon as I stopped nursing.

We do not have gym passes, or exercise equipment of any kind in our home but I did have a tandem double stroller (not a jogger) and some tennis shoes so I decided I would go on walks with my kids. Several weeks after walking every day I started thinking that maybe I could try jogging a little. I walked around our little complex, about .6 miles, twice and would run the curves and walk the straights. I got braver and braver every week. Would run a bit more, walk a bit less. I eventually decided to venture out of my little block and into others. I'd see people I know that would tell me what was about a mile, then two, then I got to run a few times with my SIL. Heaven bless her. She kept me going, even when I was discouraged and wanted to quit. She talked me into doing the Nov Turkey Trot with her and we ran and ran so we could be ready. I knew I could do it when I ran the Golf Course trail twice without stopping. The morning of the first 5k I was nervous and excited, and even though our time wasn't the greatest we made it without stopping and were so proud of ourselves. After that I was hooked and decided I wanted to do one a month for the next year.

There have been ups and downs with my running, but never again will I say that I hate it. There have been times that I've been discouraged with how slooooow I run, but in then end I still always feel great. I am a runner now. Even though I don't run super long distances, I still will claim that I am a runner. I've ran in the sun, I've ran in the snow, rain, wind and even this morning, hail.  I almost always run with my double JOGGING stroller which has been a blessing from Heaven. I have put time, energy, and sweat into running and I feel like I can own it now.