I ran my first 5K in 30 minutes today! No big deal! ; -) Except for the fact that it is!
This summer I decided to run my first 5K in February. The Sigma 5K. A friend had been talking to me about it and her experiences. I played with the idea in my head and decided to do it. This was July, so I figured by February I could be ready to run 3.1 miles. At the time that seemed like a ridiculous distance that no one on earth could run with impunity (except for marathon runners of course....but they're super human). Running this 5K event today was literally a split second decision, riddled with fear and trepidation, that I expected nothing from except unhappiness and achy muscles and bones. Needless to say that today I was proven wrong! I could do it! And in 30 minutes no less!
Now, you may already know by now that I am in medical school. If you didn't know, then you learned something new about me today : -) The work load seems unreal, and impossible, even though I have done it in the previous year and I am doing it again. Does that make sense? In any case, the point is that I was up until 2.30 am studying the clinical aspects of cardiac arrythmias and I had to wake up at 5.30 to prepare for the 5K. With that being said, you can imagine how tired I was.
I am not usually a morning person. If I have to get up before eleven (and in the life of medicine that's all I seem to be doing) i'm miserable and unhappy. However for some reason this morning I was in a really good mood. I think it was excitement for the race. I got to the track having the race route in my head, scaring me to bits wondering if I was ever going to get through it alive and unscathed. I had told a friend who was running with me today that my goal this race was to make it out alive. I really didn't think I could do it!
I just told myself, just run as much as you can. I wanted this race to give me an idea of how much more work I had to do for the Sigma 5K. So I pretty much went into today with a "progress not perfection" frame of mind. It seemed appropriate. I started the race trying to keep up with a friend of mine. Then I gave myself a little talk and decided to just pull back. They were running at a much faster pace than I was used to and I didn't want to burn myself out. I did want to try to run the whole way, but like I said, I didn't believe I could do it. I slowed down to a pace I was comfortable at and as I got into my stride it became surprisingly easier with each step (though the sun was not my friend today).
As I passed each kilometer, I clapped a little and talked my way through each successive one. I said to myself "Look you made it this far, keep running. Just put one foot in front of the other." I had some tummy cramping along the way because the cold water that were handing out (note cold water and running don't agree, at least not for me....) but I was surprisingly fine until a little ways into the final kilometer my muscles felt odd. it wasn't a feeling I was used to and I was very uncomfortable so I stopped after awhile (ugh!). I walked for about a minute or two; it didn't feel as if anything was going to pop so I started running again. I wasn't sure what was going on so I suppose stopping was alright but I am annoyed that I did because I made it that far!!
Nevertheless, even with my two minute break, I still made it to the finish line in 30 minutes. For that I am proud. I thought it was going to take me like ten hours!! So I think it's a good estimate to say that I ran a little over 4.5K right?! Sigma 5K had better watch out because I will be running the ENTIRE route and I am aiming for 25 mins. Between now and February that's reasonable right? I'm new to this running thing so let me know if i'm way off.
A friend said to me recently that once you run a 5K you will realise that the others aren't so bad and you will want to try it. I pretty much looked at her like she was crazy. A marathon? An ultra marathon (btw just found out about those and that's crazy, no hopes for that one)? I think I understand what she means though, because now I know I can run a 5K I want to try a 10K. No time soon of course, I like to take my own sweet time with things. However it's on the horizon......
Yours,
So proud of myself.... ; -)
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