Anyway, now I will start writing about what this post is actually supposed to be about: my 5K yesterday! (My excitement is totally fake.)
My mom is much healthier than I am, and she recently rediscovered how much she loves to exercise. She does zumba, yoga, and other classes at the gym, and she also decided to take up running a few months ago using a "Couch to 5K" app on her iPhone.
We are not exactly runners in this family, but Mom definitely has the long legs, unlike me, and potential to be one! She gets up ridiculously early (I'm talking 5-5:30 AM) to fit in her training runs before work. Her app started with intervals of walking and running, and by the end of it she was able to run nonstop for something like 45 minutes. Ridiculous!
Near the beginning of her running, she asked Scotty (my younger brother) and me if we would want to run a 5K with her. My first reaction was no because I hate running, but we both decided to do it to support Mom. She even bought me really nice running shoes to encourage me to run. I planned to start the Couch to 5K program myself, but that never happened.
Yesterday, Memorial Day, was the day of the Cotton Row Run. There is a 10K for the serious runners, a 5K, and a mile fun run. Scotty and I joked that we should've signed up for the mile run since neither of us was prepared to run 3.1 miles. Okay, maybe it wasn't joking.
We got to downtown Huntsville, where the race has been held for the past 31 years, at 8 AM to make sure we could find a place to park. There were super-intimidating/impressive, skinny, sweaty runners from the 7 AM 10K recovering everywhere near the finish line. A lot of them were resting and refueling so they could run the 5K at 9 AM. Seriously?
My mom, her morning running buddy, Scotty, and I all stretched and tried to mentally prepare for the race. We tried to stay in the shade because it was ridiculously hot and sunny already. It was around 80 degrees during the 5K race, possibly the hottest it's ever been for the Cotton Row Run, and probably not good for a first-time 5K runner/walker.
The race was not so fun for me. I really should've gone for at least one run anytime in the past few years to prepare! Haha. I ran for the first half mile or so, but then there was plenty of alternating between walking and running. It took me almost 41 minutes (40:48) to finish. Don't make fun of me, okay? I think I could've powerwalked the whole thing faster; my walking was really slow because I was hunched over and cramping from dehydration. Pathetic.
I was incredibly proud of Mom, though! She was so nervous before the race that she wouldn't be able to do what she had been working so hard for the past few months. I found her after the race, and she told me she had finished in 34 minutes! Her official time was 33:56. That's less than 11 minute miles. Yay, Mom! She was the fastest woman her age (not her age group, but her specific age... lol).
Scotty finished in 31:11. Also impressive, obviously. It probably helps that he has long legs and close to 0% body fat.
I have a newfound respect for runners now. It's ridiculously hard, and you have to be physically and mentally strong to push through it!
The point of this post, other than to brag on Mom of course, is that I'm now inspired to stop being so lame and out of shape. I have all summer to get in shape before grad school starts (I need to write a post about that, by the way...).
Plus, I want to lose 10 pounds for Katie's wedding that is 67 days away. Totally doable! I just need all of you, particularly my inspiringly athletic friends, to hold me to that. :)
If I am still a fatty and can't run a 5K by the end of the summer, I will have failed. Period.
Scotty, Mom, and me before the race. My smile is fake. Scotty and I are cute and matching because we both wanted to rock our T-Town, Never Down shirts!
Happy to be finished and pounds lighter from losing water weight!
On the car ride home. Exhausted. (Notice the American flag I wore in my hair for Memorial Day!)
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