Race Day COMPLETE!

I finished my First EVER 5 km run/walk race.. barely.. but FINISHED!!

It was rather cool that morning so I went with shorts, tank top and a running jacket for clothing to be prepared! I got to the race at 930 am to get started for the day... jacket on.. race bib on ( 1822 was my lucky number) I wandered around.. got a little warm and then sat down to stretch a bit...

1006 am comes and we haven't started running yet.. I get very anxious when people are not on time.. I mean the race starts at 10 am.. why have we not started anything yet?!

1015 am - BANG! Off we go.. OK .. so note to self.. don't try to blend in with the pack.. you have to push through those people to get through to start running.. oopps.. didn't think of that.

I start to run after walking 2 minutes to warm up and INSTANTLY.. my shins are killing me and my calves are tight as can be! So I slow it down.. I really found it awkward to push through and pass people.. Are people really this ignorant? They have signed up for a Run/Walk event do they not have any idea to stay to the right so the faster people can pass.. Apparently not!

So I decide after a few minutes of running Ill take a quick stop and stretch out my legs.. OH MY GOD are they sore!!

I keep at it.. running for the first good kilometre and a half of the race.. I come to the north side of the lake and HOLY is it hot!! So here I am trying to walk my butt off as fast as I can so I can take my jacket off and put it in its little bag.. ugh what a pain!!
Now I have my water belt.. and my jacket belt.. the West side of the lake is so windy you can barely stand up.. So I just walked most of the west side and then ran my butt through the parking lot to get to the south side of the race.

I found it challenging to keep running so got into a really fast pace walk mode.. I surprisingly wasn't as defeated as I thought. There was absolutely NOTHING I could do with that wind. So why beat myself up over it!

I get to the 4.5 km mark and I texted my DH to tell him I am starting to run in. I promised myself I would run across that finish line NO MATTER WHAT! I get up the hill and around this little bend and I look over to the event area and what do I see....My little girls are running towards me cheering me on! Oh my .. What an amazing feeling! I instantly start tearing up! I grab the girls hands and we start running together to the finish!! We get about 50 feet away and people are clapping and cheering. Ainsley is right in her glory  ( pictured here )

Hydie however.. Saw the young man at the finish line who was so enthusiastic and cheering.. and ducked out before we hit the finish line..lol it was to much pressure for her!!

I got to the finish line 5 seconds after Ainsley.. and I looked at the clock.... 51:24.... I beat my personal best of my first 5 km attempt... by close to 3 minutes....

I was carrying way to much stuff... Was constantly out of sorts.. BUT I FINISHED a 5 km run / walk race.. at a pace of 10:11min/km.


COMPLETE!

Two days till the RACE!

Well.. I signed up for a earlier race than I was going to be prepared for. I knew that if I waited till the September 29th race I would be completely finished and had ran a few 5 kms prior......

But I decided why not push myself into a race that I likely wont be ready for. So I did.. Get Active 4 Autism.. Its a fun run and all proceeds go into the Regina Autism Resource Centre. I have been very blessed with two healthy twin girls and feel that if I can assist with any family that may need such a resource centre, I can do that! 

However.. I still have to run the 5 kilometres.. I'm at Week 6 Day 1 in my run program. So 3 full running weeks away from running a full 5 km with no stops. At this point I cant see myself even running 20 minutes - 30 minutes straight. I found the 8 minute stretch tough.. I went out last week to do my W6D1 run (two 10 minute runs) and HOLY CRAP! That's tough! So definitely got defeated instantly! I figured that I had better figure out how I was going to have to figure out what running a full 5 km's was like.

Sunday night .. I arose to this challenge.. I got a new running app for distance Nike + Running. It has a GPS that allows to track my run and provide me distances. I found the Nike+ with the foot sensor was constantly inaccurate. One run was shorter then the same distanced run next time. Which was really quite annoying for someone who is looking at increasing your distance.
Ok so now I'm ready.. Water bottle with Nuun electrolyte tablet and my Iphone apps ready! Here I go... I'm on my 5 minute warm up.. then 8 minute run.. 3 minute walk and so on till I complete my 5 km..

Half way into kilometre #2 running into the wind.. I lost my motivation. I fell apart. I couldn't keep a positive thought in my mind. I changed up my 8/3s to 8/3 5/2 to then just screw it I'm walking home! But I powered through and just ran and walked off and no no real structure. I made it to the furthest point then I had EVER made it.. and looked at where I was and thought HOW DID I GET HERE!??!

I turned around.. and thought ok only 2.5 kms left.. you can do this.. you have to get home somehow! So I did.. I just ran till I couldn't.. then walked.. then ran then walked.. I got to kilometre 4 and thought I have to finish this strong.. So I ran it.. stopped once walked 100 ft and started again and FINISHED!

I finished 5 km.. AND in 2 minutes better time then Nike + said I would.. Yea.. I kick its ass!!


I went on a 1 km run the other day.. completed it in 10 minutes.. hoped for 9 but I had a kid with me and well I could have set myself up for better time but I finished it!


Saturday is the Get Active 4 Autism run. Ill finish.. no matter what I'm going to finish and I hope in 50 minutes instead of 52... I've raised $200.00 as of today for their cause and CANNOT wait for my first EVER race tshirt!!!

Check back to see how I did!!

Cheers!

Chaotic Chaos of Moving!

Hello!

I am back into life after taking a week off for holidays with my family. It was hectic and I'm not sure where the "relax" part of the holiday was but I don't think we found it. However, we came home over shopped, over tired and the girls were overly thrilled about all their adventures ( zoo, amusement park , new clothes shopping for pre K ) so it was Successful!

I have noticed that life is chaotic when your waiting for a big transition to occur.. in our instance.. we purchased a home. Waiting for possession has turned my whole world upside down! My 800 sq foot townhouse is busting at the seams.. Its not that I am a hoarder but I don't have a proper utility closet.. nor a cupboard for paper work and calendars etc.. So you find other ways to store them.. and things just over flow it seems! Even buying more then two cans of mushrooms is a hassle because where am I going to store them in the 5 cupboards I have?!

So the skinny on this is..Ive misplaced things... and am frustrated and have left the house this morning with my sectional in pieces all over the living room. The girls are feeling the effect of the insane chaos of a small house.. too many people in a small space and are at one another throat...

Getting these two in the car this morning was an Olympic event which Mommy lost.. I knew I lost when a Regina City Police Constable called to tell me he found my purse... Uhh my purse ( which I had left in Indian Head on Saturday in a restaurant while dealing with OVER tired children :S) I didn't realize my purse was missing.....

He found it on the street.. I apparently had left it on the roof of my car!


I admit defeat.. my whole house is in a chaotic state.. The only time I feel calm and functional is when I am running. I guess that tells you where my heart lies at the moment.. The serenity of a running trail.


Wish me luck that I don't leave my kids on the roof of the car next...

Possession : August 31st - 17 days from now.. SERENITY NOW!

Progress!! I'm a RUNNER!

Today is my LAST run of Week 5!!

I only have 3 weeks left of this program to complete!! I have never done a 5 km program.. in fact when I ran in University.. I just started to run.. then jumped into a 10km program. This is a big accomplishment for me to get this far!!

I have started a 5km program I'd say like 5 times since 2007... and I am (Insert hand gesture where two fingers are about an inch apart HERE) close to being COMPLETE!!

This program changed my world... I now plan my world around my runs... Sunday - Wednesdays and Fridays I run.. If something in my world comes up and I cant.. I reschedule my run and my hubby keeps me accountable to complete it!!

I suggest anyone looking to get back into fitness try this run! I don't expect to be a marathoner.. but I do want to move into being a runner fully. I hope to find my niche with my eating ( which has taken the weigh side in this heat because who wants to cook) and getting to the gym two times a week as well.

GOALS for AUGUST

Complete 5 km Program
Run Active for Autism - August 25th
START 10 KM Program
Hit gym once a week for weight training at least

Goals for September

Continue to train for a 10 km program ( which should increase my 5 km time)
Run Regina Road Race September 29th
Continue to get to the gym weekly for weight training
Tailor eating plan


Its not as hard as I thought. But takes commitment and desire.... but the little success such as running for 8 minutes straight for the first time in 7 years is what keeps you going!!

Good luck! Enjoy your summer!