I had a really rough winter. Rotten. I was really sick with pneumonia and no voice, I was back and forth to various doctors and as I was nursing a broken tailbone I broke a couple of ribs. Needless to say I was not very active. By the time spring rolled around I was not very surprised to realize I had gained some weight. Nothing serious, but to someone who had never really struggled with weight it was disconcerting. I was also realizing that I was in a real funk. I was diagnosed with a voice disorder that gave me an explanation for the past 30+ years, but left me sad for the future. It is neurological, and like many thing neurological it would be up and down depending on many things - not the least of which is my own health and fitness.
Mothers day was my tipping point. I realized I had to make a choice. I could learn to rock the frumpy mom look and complain about my health issues or I could get off my ass and be fit and healthy. With my broken bones mended and the snow melted away up I had no more excuses.
The idea of running was always something I stayed away from. I had never participated in any kind of sports, never ran unless I was catching a bus, and legitimately thought I could not run without severe dizziness. Well my voice diagnosis taught me that I COULD run, I would just always have trouble running and talking at the same time.
So I headed out alone.
Day one I could not run 100 meters. So I ran 80 meters and walked 500 meters. Then I did it again and again until 2 km. By the next week I found I could run 100 meters. I thought I was on a roll. So I decided to run the local 10 mile race that was 3 months away. I figured it was good motivation and I was right. ( I DID initially think it was 10 KM since I live in Canada, but that is another story!!).
I started researching and learning all I could about running. I completed the race with only 4 - 1 minute walk breaks (through the water stations) and I beat my goal time by 5 minutes. I made some mistakes, but that is to be expected in anything you do for the first time. The biggest win in it all is that I am now 100% hooked on running.
I am a runner.
Here are some pictures from that race (Only before and after, being the first race I was nervous about carrying a camera. I'm over that now and will carry one from now on! )
-Donna
Shuttle buses.
Most folks were waiting in here . . .
but I went for a walk instead and found my corral . ..
found the guy that was maybe supposed to be holding the sign for my corral . . .
found them setting up the start line . . .
found the empty porta-pottys that sat idle until about 10 minuted from this picture when 2500 people tried to get in one last pee!!
And this is after the race. My great family had made a sign that read *let's go/let's go/1560*. (That's a rhyme, a chant . . . 156-oh). I was happy to see them.
I'll squeeze in one more just because my little guy was all caught up in my excitement and couldn't stop hugging me. So cute!
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