Ten weeks ago my mom came to me and asked me if I would like to go to this "learn to run class." My step dad had been running for a few months, and my mom wanted to learn, so I said "sure, what else I am doing on Tuesdays and Saturdays."
It has been a great experience, with a great group of people. Everyone is there working towards there goal wether it was a 5km, or 10km distance. You get the support and friendship of people that are doing the same as you, and you get to have a few laughs along the way.
We started slow, and every week added time to the run and less to the walk, and 10 weeks later I can run for 10 mins straight! I would have never thought that was possible. Now my goal is to pick up my pace, and work on the hills.
Today was Race Day! YIKES!!!! I woke up ready to rock, and then you get the butterflies in the stomach. The little voice in your head saying "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" But once you are in line with all the racers, the buzzer goes the voice disappears and is replaced with "your inner kick ass voice" and you are in the zone. Everyone has that inner voice, and they all say something different, "I know I can" "Hells Yeah I am going to kill this" "High Calibre Athlete." I made great time for the race, I finished in 36 minutes, I was 29th over all in my age group. That is a 7.2 min km.
On the course you see all sorts of people. Young, old, tall, short, thick, thin and yet all there bodies are doing the same job.... It is amazing when you allow your body the time to train for a task how well you can perform. I mean I was no 1st place winner, but I was no slouch either. But even those people that were last over the finishing line they "LAPPED" everyone of you that sat on the couch today!
I can not explain that rush that I got having my little boy run with me across my first finish line. Then at the water station he asked if he can run the next race with us. It makes me so happy that he see's his family being healthy, and active and he thinks its cool, and wants to be a part of such a great culture.
I signed up for a 10km race, before I ever completed the 5km race. I have to admit I was a little nervous that I could not do the 10km run in 3 weeks, but now I say BRING IT!
