I DID IT!!! I Ran a 5K!!!!

I began a Walk to Run program 10 weeks ago at the YMCA where I have been working out since October. Each week we have had to run three days out of the week at different intervals. It did NOT make any sense to me the strategy behind the time differences. But in the end, it didn't matter. On Tuesday this last week, I ran for 39 minutes without stopping. And on Saturday the 30th, I ran my first 5K in 36.35 minutes.

Here are 5 of the Ladies who finished the program and ran the race. There should have been two more in the picture but one was running in the Mud Run that afternoon and the other hadn't shown up yet.


My Running Partner, Alis. Alis must have felt the energy of the crowd that day because she shot off the start line and ended up having to leave me in the last mile. I had a hard time keeping up with her :-) (The lady in the back of the picture to the left in the blue shirt is my dental hygienist.)

And they're OFF!!!!


36.35 minutes later I crossed the finish line!!! WHEW!!!


Michelle, myself and Alis. Michelle was running in the Mud Run that afternoon. But she showed up to cheer the rest of us on.


The three of us with Chris, our instructor. Thanks, Chris!!!


Oh yeah, I got a medal for being 3rd in my age group. Who would have thought!


Alis came in 2nd in her age group. Yeah US!!!


Alis was a great encouragement to me. I found that as long as I was talking, I could get through and didn't think so much on the ailments. Alis found it better when I talked because it brought her entertainment and didn't realize how tired she was. It was funny. Then on race day ... nothing. I had nothing to talk about. How could that happen?

Although Michelle ran faster than I did, she was a vocal encouragement. There were some days when she had to run at my pace which was hard for her. I tried to run at her pace but just couldn't. If I started to give up, she would jump in with "you've got this, Girlie!"

I have made some very special friends through this experience. I am ready to do it again. It is definitely a "high" or "rush" ... whatever you want to call it.