My First Race!

I did the Great Pumpkin Fun Run this morning and surprised myself at how well I did. Granted, I did the 3K run--which really isn't that far at all, but I kept a good pace and finished in a really reasonable amount of time. It was very empowering and lots of fun. I sort of wish that I had gone ahead and done the 5K run this morning, but I think that I'll save the 5K for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. This will give me another month to prepare to run another mile and half or so.

This race was really fun because a lot of people ran in costume. There was a group of 4 guys dressed in banana costumes; several really cute toddlers, dressed as various cuddly animals; and then me, who was impersonating a runner!

Yay, me!

Adventures in Running

Well, my running plans took a bit of a turn...not so much a U-turn, but just a turn. I went to the first meeting for the training program for the Jingle Bell Run and was completely overwhelmed. For starters, the guy who came up with the training program is a triathelete; he trains marathoners; and he trains Carl Lewis (yes, the fastest man on Earth). I knew that I was in trouble when I saw that the very first week of workouts consisted of a 2 mile run, 3 days a week and then a 3 mile run that next weekend. HUH? Once I came home and wrote all of the workouts on my calendar, I realized that this was just too much for me. On the days when I wasn't to be running miles and miles, he had planned for us to crosstrain, weight train, do group runs, etc. I couldn't imagine being able to do all of this, much less run my business and have a life! My goal for this race was to FINISH the race--not win it. I don't think that Mr. Marathon Master can even comprehend a person like me, who isn't a runner.

So, I called my friend, who's currently training for the NY Marathon and read the workout to her. She told me NOT TO DO THAT (and yes, she sort of yelled it at me). She said that it was way too much, way too soon and that I would hurt myself and never even make it to the Jingle Bell Run. With her help, I've scaled the workout back and am basically going at it by myself--listening to my knees, ankles and hips, yet challenging myself too. I've already noticed some improvements in my stamina and I find myself enjoying running--which I never really expected.

As for the Komen Race: with the Hurricane Rita mess, our vacation got pushed back and so the Komen Race got nixed, since it was the morning after we returned from our trip. I should have gone ahead and done it, but I didn't. So, now I'm planning to do the Great Pumpkin Fun Run on Oct. 29 and possibly the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Hopefully these races will give me an idea of what I'm in for, for the 5mile Jingle Bell Run.