This weekend was big for me in my ongoing journey toward better health:
I ran my first official 5K race!
The race itself still seems rather surreal to me. I showed up and ran alone, which can be tough for me, especially in new situations. But I did it. I walked in, paid my race fee, and ran. I chose this race because it is such a low key event- they run this every Saturday at Worcester State College all year long, and usually get 20-40 runners. This week, they had 24 runners. I finished in 22nd place, with a time of 30 minutes, 10 seconds. But I ran the whole 5K, and I finished! Wow!
Even a few months ago, I would have thought this to be an impossible task for me to accomplish. I have been walking since prior to surgery, but my recovery made it tough for me to exercise for the first few months. I was pretty severely anemic due to the bleed, and that absolutely wiped me out for an extended period of time. By the fall I was back to walking, and running a small distance (at most 1/8 of a mile out of 2 miles walked), but not regularly.
Then winter hit, and it became nearly impossible for me to get outside and exercise. The one saving grace for me was the exercise component of the UMass Weight Center, run by a wonderful exercise physiologist named Janet. I only use the "Keep it Moving" sessions when offered, which is once a month, but that was enough to keep me focused on getting SOME exercise, and that got me off my ass this past winter. While in Florida in late February, I got my head into a place that embraced working out, which is something that I never did before. I looked forward to my walks, and mixed in a bit of running by the end of the week.
And then spring hit! No more excuses! I felt great physically, and mentally I was more ready to do this than I have ever been. By the end of March, my 2 mile walks on the track were becoming a mixture of walking and running, with increasing amounts of running. By mid-April, my 2-mile walks had become 2-mile jogs, and I only occasionally slowed up to walk for short times. By the end of April, I was running as far as 3.1 miles, which is essentially a 5K run. Now, I didn't, and still don't, run that far every day. Time is tough this time of the year, with the kids having softball, baseball, dance, etc... But I have prioritized working out in my life.
So as I mentioned in my first sentence of this post, I am on a journey toward better health. The fact that I have run a 5K doesn't mean I am at the level of health that I want. Weight wise, I may or may not lose some more pounds. I am at 214 lbs at last check. Running as often as I have lately has definitely slowed the pace of my weight loss. However, I have noticed that my legs have built muscle mass, and my overall cardio health has vastly improved. My energy level is off the charts!
All I know is that I want to keep running. What is next? Well, I am signed up for a 5K next Saturday in Pawtucket, RI, with some of my best friends. Beyond that, I am signed up for the Warrior Dash on June 26th in Amesbury, MA, also with some of my best friends. That one looks to be a hoot, as it is a 3.02 mile race through obstacles in the woods, including a mud pit and a fire leap. Ah, what I will do for a warrior hat! After that? Other 5K races? Maybe a 10K race? Who knows? Perhaps a half-marathon down the road? I am not sure. All I know is that I want to just keep running...
