Did my first RUNNING 5K!!

Oct 05, 2009

There are so many firsts going on in my life lately.  First time to wear a size 10, first time to be "overweight" rather than obese in my adult life, and now--first 5K road race that I actually ran!!!

The first Sunday in October is a road race at 5 and 10 K's, a 2 mile stroll, and a kid's fun run.  For the last 4 years, I participated in the "stroll" with a young man that I provide respite care for.  I was happy to do this because it was great to get him out of the house and because it proved that I wasn't "that" unhealthy. 

Last year really scared me.  I started the stroll, but didn't even make it 1/4 mile before I realized that there was no way I was going to finish it.  I was already winded and couldn't possibly get up the hill I knew was still ahead of me.  My legs were aching and I was not going to be able to push my friends stroller the whole way without alot of help (and I was already behind everyone else which meant there was noone to help!).   I turned around and did not complete the walk.  I was humiliated that it had happened and told everyone that it was my friends behaviors that had stopped us from completing the walk.  Truth is, I think that his behaviors were the worst they had ever been when we did the walk, and he was likely to hurt himself by the time we got to the end, but I was the cause--I couldn't push him and wanted him to walk, I'd always given him the choice to be pushed in his adapted stroller in the past. 

The next morning, before I left for school, I phoned the bariatric program and asked for a packet to join the program.  I'm now 6 1/2 months out from my surgery, down over 90 lbs and I was able to complete the one task I had really set myself going into this--I would do the 5k, not just the stroll.  I had told myself that I didn't need to run the whole way, but that I did need to run more than I walked.  That was the old "expectation of failure" in me talking.  I wanted to run the whole thing, but never thought I could do such a thing.  Well--

I Did It!!  I ran the whole thing!!  Ok, it was more of a slog (slow jog) than a run, but I went at a 4 mile/hour pace and finished in 45 minutes.  That was a better time than when I walked the 2 mile stroll the first time 4 years ago, and only 6 minutes behind my best stroll time of 39 minutes.  And that's an extra 1.1 miles distance for the race! 

Next I need to get a good pair of running shoes so that I can keep this up.  A friend who also ran told me that my shoes are probably why I strained a muscle/tendon in my groin during this run.  I'm going to go have my stride evaluated and get the correct shoe for me.  Then she and I are thinking of doing another 5 K on the 18th, one in November, and she's afraid of the New Year's Eve one, but I think I'm going to try for that one also. 

One friend asked if I ever thought I'd be a runner.  Jokingly I said--I have been training for 3 months you know; but honestly--if you asked me last September if I thought I would ever be able to run--I'd have said NO.  As a paramedic I sometimes get called to some serious calls- a cardiac arrest, major traffic accidents, a baby seizing, but I never ran on the scene.  My excuse-(and by the way, the one that is legitamately taught in classes)-If I act like I'm rushed/excited/nervous, it takes away from my professionalism and if I tripped or got hurt, how much good would I be to the patient.  The reality--I didn't want to be so out of breath that I needed oxygen! 

Now I'm a runner, slow as molasses, but it's still a run for me!!  And this I can work on, now that I've done it once, who knows--maybe, just maybe, by the time I do 3 or 4 (or more) of these, I can get up to 5 or 6 miles an hour.  At least now, I have the ability to keep working rather than the attitude that I can't.

Thanks Dr. Strauss and the entire Bassett Team and Support Group!  Without them and this site as well as family and friends, I'd be passing up the opportunity to do this race this year, but I know that now I'll be ready for a speedier time next year!!

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