Read about our recent 5K and tell me about yours...

[Karen FL]

Part I of II

10 y/o ds and I ran our third 5K this past Saturday. We received a lighweight carry keepsake bag/backpack before our race. The bag has a small hole on the front where you can put a cord through the bag from your ipod. Sweet. It's very light and would be great to take on long runs. We received four of them since both me and kids were running.

We had a great time!

We did something different before this race. We got up at 5 AM and we ate breakfast. We think that was a very good move. We had a lot more energy than in our previous two races. I will lighten my meal next time though. Even though the race started at 7:15 AM I got a side stitch about 2 1/2 miles into the race. I've experienced that in the past so I just ran through it.

My son and I finished in 38:56 and our pace was 12:32. I never thought I would see numbers like that next to my name. At home, we have been running 15 minute miles. I realize that others are much faster than me but I give myself a lot of grace since I just started running 9/11/09 ,two months shy of my 42nd birthday, with no history of regular exercise.

Our last race results on January 9, 2010 were 41:55/13:30. We were very pleased with our time.

 

To my astonishment we had to go up a hill twice. Who knew there would be a hill in FL race? The hill was a bridge. We walked up the bridge most of the time on the first loop. On our second loop we ran up that some hill.

 

The temperature was about 70 degrees.

 

We took about 6-9 walk breaks. That included three stops at water stations.

The venue was spectacular. We ran thru beautiful a beautiful neighborhood downtown, passing yachts, beautiful homes and gardens, and hanging plants, and exquisite cars.

 

There were quite a few dogs running too.

 

One of the highlights for me was the 5 mile racers who started 15 minutes ahead of us and were looping their way back to the finish line after 24 minutes.

 

Another highlight was a dad encouraging his one year toddler in the Kids' Fun Run to make a few more steps across towards the finish line.

 

We stopped at a Publix booth after the race and also received very nice weekly activity logs and some great coupons. At Publix Saturday night, instead of $9 in coupons I had a total of $17 in coupons. It pays to be in shape, out and about at community events.

 

Photos are attached of the bag we received and my 8 y/o ds running the Kids' 1/2 Fun Run. He says that next time he will opt to do the one mile run.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2010 by Karen FL
Clarification

[Karen FL]

Part II of II

 

A lot of people were encouraging our 10 y/o. One lady explained to him that we would have finished more quickly but the Gator jacket I was wearing slowed me down. Ha. You see ds got too hot and I donned his Gator jacket around my waist during one of our walk breaks.

 

DS 8 y/o and DD 5 y/o ran a 1/2 mile Kids' Fun Run. When ds realized that this Kid's Fun Run was more formal than the one he ran in January he became very frightened and said he didn't want to run. I had to pay for this Kids' Fun Run and told him to get ready because he WAS going to run. They did a great job and they both finished more quickly than I thought they would. DS was delighted that he went ahead and ran the race.

 

In the late afternoon at home I ran one mile to try and prevent stiff muscles.

 

Our 10 y/o and I mused that we both felt we could have continued running after the race. I reminded him that I'd tried to get him to sign up for the 5 mile race instead of the 5K race and he smiled.

 

DS and I were tickled, better put, stunned at the amount of people we passed even with our many walk breaks. We follow Jeff Galloway's advice and he writes, "Walk early and often." At our two previous races we were in the back of the pack and we were the ones getting passed.

 

It is highly unlikely that I will ever be at the top of my age group. I did finish 39 of 61 though and I was pleasantly surprised. My goal is always just to beat my previous time.

 

 

I will probably not run a race again until November 2010. I am not brave enough to run here again until the weather cools down at the end of the year. Until then I will keep up with my weekly running routine.

 

Did you run a race this weekend too? Are you running one soon? Tell us about it.

 

I started walking from May to Sept. 09 and lost 14 pounds. Then I started C25K on 9/11/09 and completed it on 12/14/09. I have a history of asthma and no history of regular exercise. If I can do it you can do it. If you have questions, ask me. I love running and exercise talk. Ha ha.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Karen FL

[Julie in CA]

Karen, you are just *AWESOME!* :party:

I'm not running, but I'm still walking & doing yard work energetically. :)

[emeraldjoy]

We are gearing up for our first family 5k on April 4th. We get a free tree!! It is a "run for the trees". I am not a runner, by the way, but feel that my body is screaming to be healthy.

You have inspired me, thanks!!

e

[Niffercoo]

Congratulations, Karen!! I completed Couch to 5K in Dec. 2008, and 2 weeks ago ran my first half-marathon! So you need to shoot for a half next spring! ;) I did the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and I highly recommend it if you like Disney at all! LOL

 

If you haven't already, you might want to read stuff by John Bingham (aka The Penguin). He writes a lot about the adult-onset athlete, as he is one himself. He wrote a book called No Need for Speed, and Marathoning for Mortals (I used that book to train for my half). Great stuff!!

 

Here is a link to my running blog if you're interested: http://runningthroughthecastle.blogspot.com/

 

I've got to go get my run in this morning, then I'll check out your running blog! :)

[Jennifer in MI]

WAY TO GO!!!!!! I loved reading your account of the race. It was like I was there. I started running 2 years ago and I find it such and emotional thing. I am constantly amazed at what I'm able to do! Sounds like you're discovering the same thing.

 

I need to hear more about the Disney half!!!!! how was it? I have a neighbor who ran it too. She loved it!!! I'm off to read your blog now.

 

Oh - and Karen - I also ran the Disney half - but I ran the one in January.

They have a 5K there that weekend too. My kids/dh ran that race. It was SO well done! Now my 13 yo wants to run the Detroit half with me in October!!

[Jennifer in MI]

Weird double post.

[Brilliant]

Hi Karen! Thanks for sharing about the race. As Jennifer said, "It was like I was there!"

 

You inspired me a while back to get the Couch25k program for my ipod. But I haven't gotten very far with it. The problem is that I am 42. And I have been doing moderate exercise for about 9 months. But the running part of the C25K is killing me. Even running for 2 minutes gets my heart rate up to 180 after about the 3rd cycle. That's too high!! So, I don't know what to do. When I work out at the gym, I can pace myself on the bike or elliptical so that my heart rate stays under 160, usually 140-145 is what I aim for. (I don't feel comfortable at all over 160).

 

So, I will keep working out (headed for the gym this AM) but am not sure I will ever be able to run a 5k.

[Jennifer in MI]

Congratulations, Karen!! I completed Couch to 5K in Dec. 2008, and 2 weeks ago ran my first half-marathon! So you need to shoot for a half next spring! ;) I did the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and I highly recommend it if you like Disney at all! LOL

 

If you haven't already, you might want to read stuff by John Bingham (aka The Penguin). He writes a lot about the adult-onset athlete, as he is one himself. He wrote a book called No Need for Speed, and Marathoning for Mortals (I used that book to train for my half). Great stuff!!

 

Here is a link to my running blog if you're interested: http://runningthroughthecastle.blogspot.com/

 

I've got to go get my run in this morning, then I'll check out your running blog! :)

 

Ugh. I've tried posting a response to this three times and keep getting weird messages.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I just read your blog and started crying!!!! Running is such an emotional sport for me. I am constantly pushing myself and meeting or exceeding my goals. I can't believe it when I do it!!!! I had the same response when I finished the Disney half in January - I just started sobbing!!! I couldn't believe I did it!

 

Your pictures are amazing! It was dark in Jan when I ran through the castle. So, my pictures were too dark, unfortunately! Next time.

 

Oh and that hill?! ACK! That was where I lost it both emotionally and physically. I don't have hills near me. My body wanted to quit SOOOO badly!

 

Anyway, congrats! When's your next race?

[jenn-]

For all you runners in here and those that might need a bit of encouragement to become runners, just thought I would point out our social group for runners here on WTM.

[Niffercoo]

Ugh. I've tried posting a response to this three times and keep getting weird messages.

 

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! I just read your blog and started crying!!!! Running is such an emotional sport for me. I am constantly pushing myself and meeting or exceeding my goals. I can't believe it when I do it!!!! I had the same response when I finished the Disney half in January - I just started sobbing!!! I couldn't believe I did it!

 

Your pictures are amazing! It was dark in Jan when I ran through the castle. So, my pictures were too dark, unfortunately! Next time.

 

Oh and that hill?! ACK! That was where I lost it both emotionally and physically. I don't have hills near me. My body wanted to quit SOOOO badly!

 

Anyway, congrats! When's your next race?

 

I can only imagine that hill if you aren't used to hills. That's probably the single worst place for a big hill, in terms of the distance! My running buddy wants to do the half in Atlanta on Thanksgiving day, but I'm worried about those hills. They make my neighborhood hills look like gentle rolling waves! LOL

 

I've got a 10K in 3 weeks, and then a couple of 5Ks. My next big race is the Peachtree Road Race in downtown Atlanta... 55,000 people!! ACK!

 

I'm also considering the Disneyland Half in September so I can get the Coast to Coast medal! ;) My husband is telling me to go for it, and my mom would travel with me so I wouldn't be alone. But I worry about spending the $$$ on it.

 

For my long-term goals I have a sprint triathlon and the Disneyworld full Marathon! Yeah, I'm COMPLETELY hooked on running/racing! I can't even begin to describe how it has changed my life. Not just physically because I'm in better shape, but mentally. I think that's why my husband is willing to let me race wherever I want to - it's cheaper than therapy!

[Jennifer in MI]

Your plans sound awesome!!! I get the addiction! The day to day workouts can be hard and I don't always want to do them, but the races make it all worth it!!

 

I think you should go for the DL half! I hadn't heard about the coast to coast medal.

 

Are you doing the full next Jan? I was considering it. I'm trying to talk my BIL into training together, but he's wimping out on me. I need an email buddy to train that hard!!

 

I'll run a couple 10Ks this spring/summer. I signed up for a sprint tri in June. We'll see how that goes. I'm SOOOO not a swimmer and it's in open water. It just freaks me out! Then, the half in October.

[Niffercoo]

Your plans sound awesome!!! I get the addiction! The day to day workouts can be hard and I don't always want to do them, but the races make it all worth it!!

 

I think you should go for the DL half! I hadn't heard about the coast to coast medal.

 

Are you doing the full next Jan? I was considering it. I'm trying to talk my BIL into training together, but he's wimping out on me. I need an email buddy to train that hard!!

 

I'll run a couple 10Ks this spring/summer. I signed up for a sprint tri in June. We'll see how that goes. I'm SOOOO not a swimmer and it's in open water. It just freaks me out! Then, the half in October.

 

 

The earliest I'll be able to do the full marathon is in 2012. I need my kids to all be just a little bit older so I can leave them for longer periods. I did all my weekday training this year in my neighborhood so I wouldn't be too far away, and by the end of the training I thought I was going to go stir crazy! (My neighborhood is around 1.5 miles around LOL). If you can wait for 2012, I'd love to be support for each other!

 

I cannot WAIT to hear about your triathlon! I'm not a swimmer either, and the one I want to do is in a lake, too. It's part of the "My First Triathlon" series, though, so they are more lenient about the swim part - you can walk in the lake if you need to. I can't figure out what one would wear for the different parts. I have padded bike shorts that I wear now when I ride, but I could never run in those! And is there a place to change out of your swimsuit or do you throw something on over it and dry out in the wind of the bike ride? LOL

 

The coast to coast medal info isn't on the website anymore, but it was a replica of that statue in front of the castle of Walt Disney holding Mickey's hand and pointing off into the distance. That is my favorite statue! I emailed Disney to make sure they are still having the Coast to Coast medal this year since my link doesn't work anymore! I'll let you know!

[chickenpatty]

Way to go!!! I enjoyed reading your account. It is so awesome to find ourselves meeting goals & doing things we never thought we'd do. I think that (well, except for the weight loss) is my favorite thing about running.

 

I've got a 10k this Saturday. Two years ago I finished in 63 minutes. This year I'm shooting for 55. We'll see!

[Karen FL]

Karen, you are just *AWESOME!* :party:

I'm not running, but I'm still walking & doing yard work energetically. :)

 

Julie, that is awesome. Walking is great! I lost most of my weight walking! It's great that you are still in the game.

 

We are gearing up for our first family 5k on April 4th. We get a free tree!! It is a "run for the trees". I am not a runner, by the way, but feel that my body is screaming to be healthy.

You have inspired me, thanks!!

e

That is right around the corner. Have a great family race! Whoopee!

 

Congratulations, Karen!! I completed Couch to 5K in Dec. 2008, and 2 weeks ago ran my first half-marathon! So you need to shoot for a half next spring! ;) I did the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and I highly recommend it if you like Disney at all! LOL

 

If you haven't already, you might want to read stuff by John Bingham (aka The Penguin). He writes a lot about the adult-onset athlete, as he is one himself. He wrote a book called No Need for Speed, and Marathoning for Mortals (I used that book to train for my half). Great stuff!!

 

Here is a link to my running blog if you're interested: http://runningthroughthecastle.blogspot.com/

 

I've got to go get my run in this morning, then I'll check out your running blog! :)

Thank you for reminding me about Bingham's books. I doubt I will make that Disney half due to the cost. The one this past January sounded so exciting. I ran a race that same weekend in 43 degree weather and rain. That is very cold for a native Floridian. :) I was very impressed with the runners this spring at Disney. Sleet, my word! I will check out your blog tomorrow. I am up too late and I had a terrible, no horrible, no terrible day. lol

 

WAY TO GO!!!!!! I loved reading your account of the race. It was like I was there. I started running 2 years ago and I find it such and emotional thing. I am constantly amazed at what I'm able to do! Sounds like you're discovering the same thing.

 

Now my 13 yo wants to run the Detroit half with me in October!!

 

Jennifer, that sounds so exciting. It's such fun to run with my son.

 

Hi Karen! Thanks for sharing about the race. As Jennifer said, "It was like I was there!"

 

You inspired me a while back to get the Couch25k program for my ipod. But I haven't gotten very far with it. The problem is that I am 42. And I have been doing moderate exercise for about 9 months. But the running part of the C25K is killing me. Even running for 2 minutes gets my heart rate up to 180 after about the 3rd cycle. That's too high!! So, I don't know what to do. When I work out at the gym, I can pace myself on the bike or elliptical so that my heart rate stays under 160, usually 140-145 is what I aim for. (I don't feel comfortable at all over 160).

 

So, I will keep working out (headed for the gym this AM) but am not sure I will ever be able to run a 5k.

 

OC Mom, I started C25K when I was two months shy of being 42 and I have asthma. I had to repeat many weeks over and over. I didn't have a heart monitor but my breathing was terrible. My doctor put me on two medications for asthma and then I started to progress. If I were in your position I would get a phyiscal to make sure your heart is OK. Then I would just repeat the weeks until I felt comfortable moving forward.

 

 

Way to go!!! I enjoyed reading your account. It is so awesome to find ourselves meeting goals & doing things we never thought we'd do. I think that (well, except for the weight loss) is my favorite thing about running.

 

I've got a 10k this Saturday. Two years ago I finished in 63 minutes. This year I'm shooting for 55. We'll see!

 

Have fun this Saturday, chickenpatty! You are fast! Now you see her, now you don't. Ha ha.

 

~Karen~