In 2013 I ran my first 5k. In 2014 I decided to run a 5k every month. In September I must have accidentally Freaky Friday-ed my body with an actual runner and decided it would be a good idea to run a 10k. I don't know what I was thinking. There's probably some defenseless woman out there who doesn't understand why she suddenly has the appetite of a Gilmore Girl.
I really felt like I was on my way to becoming a real runner. Partly because I had body switched with that lady (see above) but mainly because I signed up for a running class and actually started to enjoy running. I was in Green Bay for work and ran to Lambeau Field and back each morning. I did push-ups in my hotel room. Okay, I did a push-up. I ran five miles for the first time in my life.
October: Forest Park Firefighters 5k
I was ready for my next 5k...which was in a cemetery. I got a lot of weird looks from people when I told them I was running the Forest Park Firefighters 5k and that it was in a cemetery. I've learned that you shouldn't smile when you say, "cemetery." Not that it's disrespectful, I think it just creeps people out. Lesson learned.
I'm still not sure I understand how the timing worked at this race. We all gathered at the cemetery (she wrote with a solemn look on her face), someone sang the national anthem, and then we just started running. We looped around the cemetery a couple times, ran on the street, and then crossed the finish line set up by the picnic grove. The Nesquick bunny gave out high fives and chocolate milk. I Googled to confirm that bunnies do in fact have five toes in their front paws, ensuring that it really was a high five and not a high four. You're welcome. I had my third fastest time of the year.
October: Frank Lloyd Wright 10k
I was losing steam as October continued. I was going out of town for work again and I still hadn't done 6.2 miles. I woke up the day I was leaving and decided that I would run the 10k distance before I left. It was bad. Really bad. I hated myself for not training hard enough. I hated my body for being so tired. I hated myself for wanting to cry. And then I actually did break down and cry. In the middle of the run I stopped and balled like a child. Bryan was with me and tried to comfort me, but I just needed to get it out of my system. All the bad feelings needed a place to escape and they decided to leave me in the form of embarrassing tears. Look away school children, this lady is having a rough morning, but do you have any water? I will say that I picked the worst day to attempt to run this distance. It was mid-October, but for some reason the humidity was 80 something percent. Another lesson learned. Sometimes Mother Nature is against you.
When the race day approached I was feeling nervous. I met up with my running class before the race for last minute advice and stretching.
Something happened to my RunKeeper app during the race and it thought I was running about a minute faster than I actually was. This happens from time to time. I'll lose signal and it kind of just picks up where it lost it. Usually I hate when that happens, but this time it was actually helpful. During each audio cue, I thought, "Wow, I'm doing awesome!" In the back of my head, I knew that I wasn't really doing that great, but it was the motivation (i.e. lying) that I needed.
When I got tired, I stopped running and walked for a bit. When I was thirsty and passing a water station, I took some water. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. Wait, that wasn't me that was Forrest Gump. It's understandable how you could confuse my journey in an Oak Park neighborhood with that of a man running across the country multiple times. It's basically the same story.
I really felt like I was on my way to becoming a real runner. Partly because I had body switched with that lady (see above) but mainly because I signed up for a running class and actually started to enjoy running. I was in Green Bay for work and ran to Lambeau Field and back each morning. I did push-ups in my hotel room. Okay, I did a push-up. I ran five miles for the first time in my life.
October: Forest Park Firefighters 5k
I was ready for my next 5k...which was in a cemetery. I got a lot of weird looks from people when I told them I was running the Forest Park Firefighters 5k and that it was in a cemetery. I've learned that you shouldn't smile when you say, "cemetery." Not that it's disrespectful, I think it just creeps people out. Lesson learned.
I'm still not sure I understand how the timing worked at this race. We all gathered at the cemetery (she wrote with a solemn look on her face), someone sang the national anthem, and then we just started running. We looped around the cemetery a couple times, ran on the street, and then crossed the finish line set up by the picnic grove. The Nesquick bunny gave out high fives and chocolate milk. I Googled to confirm that bunnies do in fact have five toes in their front paws, ensuring that it really was a high five and not a high four. You're welcome. I had my third fastest time of the year.
October: Frank Lloyd Wright 10k
I was losing steam as October continued. I was going out of town for work again and I still hadn't done 6.2 miles. I woke up the day I was leaving and decided that I would run the 10k distance before I left. It was bad. Really bad. I hated myself for not training hard enough. I hated my body for being so tired. I hated myself for wanting to cry. And then I actually did break down and cry. In the middle of the run I stopped and balled like a child. Bryan was with me and tried to comfort me, but I just needed to get it out of my system. All the bad feelings needed a place to escape and they decided to leave me in the form of embarrassing tears. Look away school children, this lady is having a rough morning, but do you have any water? I will say that I picked the worst day to attempt to run this distance. It was mid-October, but for some reason the humidity was 80 something percent. Another lesson learned. Sometimes Mother Nature is against you.
When the race day approached I was feeling nervous. I met up with my running class before the race for last minute advice and stretching.
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| Part of my running group. This is actually the first time I'm seeing their faces since I'm usually running blocks behind them in class trying and failing to catch up. |
When I got tired, I stopped running and walked for a bit. When I was thirsty and passing a water station, I took some water. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Alabama. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. Wait, that wasn't me that was Forrest Gump. It's understandable how you could confuse my journey in an Oak Park neighborhood with that of a man running across the country multiple times. It's basically the same story.
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| I finished! |
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