I had a hard time choosing a race for September. This was race number 2. I had scheduling issues because I had committed to doing an Autism walk with my sister's family back in May which was one weekend in September, which actually didn't happen. My brother's wedding is on the last weekend of the month. And then Nicole's boyfriend was going to run with me but the two of them were going to NYC another weekend of the month. (I'm still waiting for the boyfriend to make good on his promise, by the way). I was really humming and hawing about my options because nothing was really screaming out, "Ooh, pick me." I think this one was just meant to be, because I had been searching and searching all over the race websites with little luck, but suddenly one day this race just popped up that I swear had not been on there before. It could not have been more perfect.
This was a fundraiser for 16 year old Porter, who has bone cancer. He just had his right leg amputated, and loves sports, including snowboarding! Ok, in case you need a refresher, my sister Nicole had bone cancer, is a right leg amputee, and well, she's a snowboarder, duh!
Nicole wasn't there at the finish line this time because she was busy having a yard sale. Guys, she needs to come up with so much money in order to make it the Paralympics, and well, she's pretty much on her own to figure out how. We had another yard sale for her a couple weeks before and I was able to get rid of a lot of my junk in her behalf. Boy, was Jeff happy to see it go!
I think I could get used to this race thing though. It really is fun, I will admit. I wasn't really trying to beat my time, but I improved by 3 minutes from my first 5k. I finished at 34:27. (Last time was 37:32). This one wasn't really officially timed though so I don't know how much I'd trust that. There was a monster hill. I was determined to make it up, and you know what, I did! At least to the top of the first long section. I don't know how long, but to me, who hasn't been training on hills, it really was a beast. At the top there was a water stop where it turned the corner and that's where I stopped and walked for a bit because it was still a climb and I was breathing pretty hard by then, but as soon as it leveled out I ran for it, all the way into the finish line. I had read on a website about how to use your arms going up a hill by holding them tight to your body and swinging your hands into an upward movement and that's supposed to help pull your knees up or something, and then you take really small steps and kind of spring off with each step. I probably looked really stupid, and I probably interpreted what they were saying totally wrong, but it got me up that hill while pretty much everyone else was walking, so I was happy.
I'm learning more and more all the time. I really am amazed at how much there is to this running thing. It isn't just tie up those shoes and take off, not if you really want to make it anyway. It's serious business. But I felt really good about running this time around. I finished strong. I didn't feel like I was at my very limit getting to the finish line, like last time. In my training, I'm now able to run 4.5 miles, which is amazing to me. It wasn't only the hill that was a real test for me this time either. I always run with music to keep my pace and words to encourage me. But I forgot my headphones, so I had to make an emergency phone call to Jeff and I was lucky that he was right near his work so he could pick up some from his office on his way out to the race. I was feeling pretty anxious about not running with my iPod. In fact, I shamefully will admit that I had a moment where I considered not running if he didn't get there in time to bring me the headphones. Ouch! Fortunately, he made it just in time. But they didn't stay in my ears very well so I ran with both headphones for probably only 1/2 a mile. Then I ran with only 1 headphone for the next mile and 1/2 and then a gust of wind was the last straw so I ran the rest of the race iPod free for the first time ever. And you know what? I did it, and it wasn't really as difficult as I had imagined. That's something that I have wondered about too. I'm still not sure about running completely without music all the time, but I could possibly ease into that and get away from being dependent on it. I can now see that happening for a 5k. 10k, maybe.
What an adventure I am on. I registered for the Thanksgiving Day 10k and I am now officially training for that. I did my first "tempo" run today, where you run for 8 minutes at a faster speed than you would normally run, then take a walking break, then do it again, a bunch of times. Wow, was that a killer. I'm a pretty slow runner. My mantra has pretty much been, "Slow and steady, Freddy." But it was a good kind of hard. Fortunately, you don't do the tempo runs every time. My next run is a nice and easy 30 minute jog. Compared to my 4.5 mile runs I've been doing, I'm going to feel like I'm not doing enough, I think. But it was good to hear my "coach's" voice again today. I used the 5k101 podcasts to train before, and now I'm using the 10k101 program by the same guy, Todd Lange. He is so awesome, in case you haven't read my earlier posts where I drool over how much I loooove 5k101! I highly recommend any of his stuff which you can check out at http://runningmatemedia.com/
I would like to end with another song if you don't mind. Today I'm dedicating a song to Nicole and Porter, Fighters by Kris Allen. It reminds me to keep fighting the battles in my own life, because I have what it takes, even if I don't feel like I do. It's there hidden inside of me somewhere. That's a lesson I learn from Nicole is to keep on fighting, no matter what, and to remember her battles and then to say, "so get out there and do this. Always remember, if she can, I can. I have to. I will."
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