Still Running

I ran in the Worldwide WordPress 5K yesterday. I wish I could say it was a great run.

But it wasn’t. I planned to run 5 1/2 miles but I cut the run short because I felt terrible. My legs hurt. I couldn’t get my breathing right. And my arms even hurt at one point. It was my worst feeling run to date. But I got the 3.1 miles in.

fullsizerender-7Since last year a lot of good things have happened with my running. I run regularly and longer distances and at a faster pace. I ran an 8K in May. I finished a Spartan Race in August and I will run my first 10K in October.

Most importantly I will run tomorrow and I will run my planned 5 1/2 miles. Even if hurts.

Because I want to get better at this.

 

 

 

 

My Groove

Since the move to my new town I’ve lost my running groove. I can’t find the place I want to run…..or like to run. There’s more traffic so I’ve not explored much. My daughter and I crossed the highway Saturday and found a small neighborhood there.

But it’s not my country roads. I think I didn’t know how much I liked the country and the roads there and the quiet there. I didn’t mind running in the dark sometimes because I knew the roads. I knew the people in the houses and dogs in their yards. I didn’t mind the one car or old truck that drove slowly past while I was running.

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My country road

My husband told me last night that I may have to do what I don’t want to do. He reminded me that there are parks and high school tracks in town. And I reminded him that I don’t want to get in my car and drive somewhere to run. I want to step out of my front door and run.

So today I stepped out of my front door and ran. Two miles up and down the dead-end road I live on now. Back and forth….to the highway…..then down to the neighbors……again and again. I ran last week
too, but shorter distances because….well……it got old. This is what the route looks like on my Runkeeper app.

But guimageess what? It was a great run this morning. So I go back and forth on the same road. I’ll get used to the burly boxer barking at me from his back yard and the two little dogs in their fence. I’ll get used to the highway traffic. Maybe I’ll start waving to the traffic as I turn around to run back down to the neighbors. Then wave again when I come back to the highway and again and again. And maybe I’ll cross the highway and run in that neighborhood soon.

All I know, is that I want to run. So I’m gonna run.

And I’ll get my groove back.

 

“The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.”                              Vince Lombardi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Did It

I took Automattic’s Worldwide WordPress 5k Challenge and completed it this morning. This is a virtual event and can be completed anytime during Monday, October 26th through Sunday, November 1st.

I used the Runkeeper app recommended and liked it a lot. Every five minutes the app told me my distance and pace. image

I ran my first ever 5k in April and I’ve increaed my per mile pace by over a minute. Progress feels good.

Don’t mistake me for a runner. I didn’t start running until a little over a year ago and I liked it. That’s all. I’m just a middle aged wife and mother trying to stay fit and found out this is a pretty good way to do it.

I’m also starting a new Thanksgiving tradition and will run a 5k called the Turkey Trot that morning.

Who knows? A 10k might be in my future.