Over the past few years I have began running. I would get in a pretty good pattern and then we would go on vacation, and I would get out of the routine. Fall off the wagon. When I first starting running, I never thought I would even run one mile. And then I did, on my first run! Then my friend started asking me to do races and I kept thinking how I never wanted to run long distance. And then we did a 5k race together. I couldn't believe I had managed to run 3 miles!
Then there was a long streak where I didn't run at all and wasn't sure I would get myself to start up again. I then decided to use money I had saved from winning two different weight loss competitions, to buy a treadmill. What better way to use that money then to help keep the weight off. During last November I did pretty good staying consistent with using the treadmill....and then the Christmas season hit!
So in January, I picked myself back up again and started running. Inside and outside. My same friend I had run the other race with asked me again to run a race, this time the Brea 8k. FIVE miles. At that point I hadn't run more then 3! I thought, "No way! And then as I kept pushing myself, running every other day I started thinking, "Well, maybe". And then I just decided to go for it! And of course, the week before the race I get super sick. Not letting me prepare the way I had planned the week before. I had also been going back and fourth trying to decide if I should sign Zachary up as well and had just ended up doing it! So even though I had never gotten up to running 5 miles, I was coughing like crazy and had a fever, I showed up for the 8am start time!
I am so thankful that Zachary was with me. He is an unbelievable little machine! I still can't beliebe how well my little guy did! At only 7 years old, this was his first ever official race. He had run with me a few times in preparation and he runs little bits at school every week for 100 Mile Club, but he was amazing. The whole time he stayed ahead of me. Everyone that ran by him smiled, commented and wanted to give him high fives! This race had crazy hills that made it an extra difficult 5 miles but those hills didn't seem to faze him!
We ended up finishing in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 38 seconds (his time was a few seconds faster). I was really excited to know that we had done it! We were able to go into a food area after and get samples from the restaurants there. I didn't feel much like eating afterwards but the oranges, Jamba Juice and especially the bottled water were very nice and much appreciated!
Since that race a week and a half ago, the sickness is finally easing and I have ran a few more times. I'm encouraged by how it's changing my body. Making it stronger. The consistency has really been key so my focus is on that. Making sure I keep it up. We have our Colorado trip coming in a few weeks and I'm already trying to prepare myself for figuring out how to get outside for a few runs while there. I'm sure I'll grab Zachary and take him with me! I love that we have this special thing we can do together and will try and enjoy the time I have with him because I know that very soon, he will be leaving me in the dust! At his school they have track for grades 4-6 and he is already excited to be a part of that in a few years. I know he will be more then ready!
As for me, I just want to keep focusing on building a healthier, stronger body. Two months in and i feel like I can do this (Aside from the neck and knee pain it brings.) I hope to check back in saying that I kept it up through our trip and that I have another race under our belts!;0)
