How'd I do?
I ran my first 5K race today. I took part in the Sheyenne Shuffle in VC, ND. I'll tell you how I did... in a bit.
I'm asked often, "Why are you starting to run now, you're almost 50"? My classic answer, "Because I can and I want to." I've never been one to follow society - I tend to march to the beat of my own drum. And starting to run at age 50 (or close to it) definitely isn't normal. But I have quite a few friends and coworkers who have taken up this nasty habit, so I decided to see what all the rage was.
I found out today.
I and my good friend Rick (his wife was supposed to go also but wasn't feeling well), headed to VC bright and early this morning to head to VC - my old stomping grounds. We discussed or rather Rick gave me all kinds of wonderful advice on the way there. "Don't get caught up in the start, watch your pace", and "run in the center of the road, there's less slant there," and "don't get elbowed out at the corners." All very good and worthy advice. He's been there before (2 full marathons in 2 years), so I listened intently to everything he told me.
Now, I'm not one to usually get nervous, but when we pulled up to the Bubble, my stomach was in my throat. I was pretty sure I was going to hurl my cookies in his nice, new shiney Hummer. I didn't admit that to him though. I'm Sherry, I'm tough, I have nerves of steel! Yaaahhhh right! It DID help however when he said he was nervous too. OK. THEN I didn't feel so bad.
We registered and he showed me how to put the timing chip on my shoes, etc. then we proceeded to stretch and do what runners do before the race. I talk smart, don't I? I had NO freakin clue what I was doing! Thank GOD for my friend!
Right before race time, he says to me, "The only thing you have to beat is the clock and you can't ever beat that...so just do your best and finish. And you'd been RUN across the line, and not walk." I laughed and asked him, "Is that a threat or a challenge". His classic response, "Both."
You know what? Those words stuck in my head all the way through the race. I did fairly well I think. At least, up until about the 2.5 or 3K mark. I lost my lungs. Yep, pretty sure they're still there, laying at the corner of Central Ave. in VC. Geeeez did they burn! The body felt good though so I started the run/walk process. I was bummed, but not surprised..my longest trainng runs have been 2.5 miles, so it only stood to reason that I'd start feeling it at that point. Rick was outside the stadium to talk me in (and he had the damn camera in his hands. If those show up on Facebook, I'm going to hurt someone!). As he shouted, "Finish Strong", I started to run inside to the track. All I wanted to do was walk but those words kept running through my head. "Run, don't walk!"
I was so focused on running across the line that I forgot to see what my time was!
So, how'd I do?
I ran, I ran across the finish line, and I finished!
That's how I did!
I'm asked often, "Why are you starting to run now, you're almost 50"? My classic answer, "Because I can and I want to." I've never been one to follow society - I tend to march to the beat of my own drum. And starting to run at age 50 (or close to it) definitely isn't normal. But I have quite a few friends and coworkers who have taken up this nasty habit, so I decided to see what all the rage was.
I found out today.
I and my good friend Rick (his wife was supposed to go also but wasn't feeling well), headed to VC bright and early this morning to head to VC - my old stomping grounds. We discussed or rather Rick gave me all kinds of wonderful advice on the way there. "Don't get caught up in the start, watch your pace", and "run in the center of the road, there's less slant there," and "don't get elbowed out at the corners." All very good and worthy advice. He's been there before (2 full marathons in 2 years), so I listened intently to everything he told me.
Now, I'm not one to usually get nervous, but when we pulled up to the Bubble, my stomach was in my throat. I was pretty sure I was going to hurl my cookies in his nice, new shiney Hummer. I didn't admit that to him though. I'm Sherry, I'm tough, I have nerves of steel! Yaaahhhh right! It DID help however when he said he was nervous too. OK. THEN I didn't feel so bad.
We registered and he showed me how to put the timing chip on my shoes, etc. then we proceeded to stretch and do what runners do before the race. I talk smart, don't I? I had NO freakin clue what I was doing! Thank GOD for my friend!
Right before race time, he says to me, "The only thing you have to beat is the clock and you can't ever beat that...so just do your best and finish. And you'd been RUN across the line, and not walk." I laughed and asked him, "Is that a threat or a challenge". His classic response, "Both."
You know what? Those words stuck in my head all the way through the race. I did fairly well I think. At least, up until about the 2.5 or 3K mark. I lost my lungs. Yep, pretty sure they're still there, laying at the corner of Central Ave. in VC. Geeeez did they burn! The body felt good though so I started the run/walk process. I was bummed, but not surprised..my longest trainng runs have been 2.5 miles, so it only stood to reason that I'd start feeling it at that point. Rick was outside the stadium to talk me in (and he had the damn camera in his hands. If those show up on Facebook, I'm going to hurt someone!). As he shouted, "Finish Strong", I started to run inside to the track. All I wanted to do was walk but those words kept running through my head. "Run, don't walk!"
I was so focused on running across the line that I forgot to see what my time was!
So, how'd I do?
I ran, I ran across the finish line, and I finished!
That's how I did!
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