LAST FALL JEFF PROPOSED THAT WE RUN A 5K TOGETHER BEFORE OUR TIME IN MADISON WAS UP. IF YOU KNOW ME AT ALL, YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE FOR YEARS PROFESSED A STRONG DISLIKE OF RUNNING. HOWEVER, I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT HIGHLY OF RUNNERS AND LIKED THE IDEA OF HITTING THE PAVEMENT TO CLEAR MY HEAD, SO I TIED UP THE OL' TENNIS SHOES AND DECIDED TO GIVE RUNNING A CHANCE. I FELT TRULY TRIUMPHANT THE FIRST TIME I WAS ABLE TO RUN AROUND THE BLOCK (AND, I'M NOT JOKING). MY "TRAINING" TOOK A LONG HIATUS ONCE WINTER HIT, AND STARTED BACK UP THIS MARCH. I ATTEMPTED TO FIT IN RUNS WHENEVER JEFF WAS ABLE TO COME HOME EARLY, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE INCONSISTENCIES IN MY TRAINING. BUT, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT ON MAY 7TH, I WAS ABLE TO RUN THE ENTIRE 5K WITHOUT STOPPING WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF MY HUSBAND AND A KILLER PLAYLIST ON MY IPOD. WE RAN THE FIRST MILE TOGETHER AND THEN I RELEASED MY HUSBAND TO COMPLETE THE RACE AT HIS OWN PACE, WHICH FRANKLY I COULD NEVER KEEP UP WITH (HAVE YOU SEEN HIS LONG LEGS?!). HE MET ME WITH CHEERS OF SUPPORT PRIOR TO THE FINISH LINE, AND AS I CLOCKED IN AT 34 MINUTES AND CHANGE I FELT A HUGE SENSE OF RELIEF AND SATISFACTION. I'M NOT SURE WHICH TOOK MORE MENTAL STRENGTH RUNNING THE 5K OR NATURAL CHILD BIRTH (AGAIN, NOT JOKING) WHICH ONLY SHOWS HOW UNNATURAL RUNNING IS FOR ME. OVERALL, IT WAS A VERY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. I'M SO THANKFUL FOR JEFF'S ENCOURAGEMENT AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE MYSELF IN A WAY I NEVER ANTICIPATED. IT APPEARS THAT I'M NOT READY TO RETIRE THE OL' TENNIS SHOES, AFTER ALL. IN FACT, I'M HOPING TO SPRING FOR NEW KICKS IN THE NEXT YEAR. BUT, FOR NOW I'M ENJOYING THE PACE OF LEISURELY WALKS WITH OUR SWEET ONES, AS QUITE FRANKLY I'M STILL TUCKERED OUT!
PRE-RACE EXCITEMENT
POST-RACE CELEBRATION.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE.
NEXT TIME, WE HOPE TO MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR. THE LITTLE LADY LOVES A GOOD STRETCH FOLLOWED BY A RUN.
DID I JUST SAY "NEXT TIME?"
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