First 5K
NatashaRuz
Posts: 223
Every single muscle in my body hurts, but I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ran a 5K. I ran the whole thing too. Did not walk.
I've been running for over 3 miles for a number of weeks now, but all my runs where in areas around me....flat pavement. This 5K was at a state park. It kicked my *kitten*. There were HUGE hills. I've never run up hills before. It made the whole run very, very different than my bi-weekly neighbourhood runs.
The first mile was really tough. I was almost in a 'panicked' mode as I ran up the first two hills. My side started to tense up, and my breathing was shallow. I remembered what someone wrote here a few weeks ago about their first experience, and how she made herself relax, and breathe. So, that's what I did. I began counting my breaths in, and my breaths out. I began consciously making sure that my hands weren't clenched and that my shoulders were loose. It didn't make the hills any easier, but it made conquering them achievable.
Seeing the first mile marker was actually not a good experience. All I could think was that I still had 2 miles ahead of me; but again, I focused on relaxing and kept going.
Things started to get better as I reached the 2 mile mark. Part of it was mental, knowing that there was a lot less left in front of me than there was behind me. I kept doing mental check-ups of my body, and focusing on the parts that hurt and trying to see through the pain. Once I had to focus on hills again though, the pain didn't matter anymore; it became a matter of conquering the hill.
When I had about a 1/4 of a mile to go, another runner caught up with me. She was about my age. We started talking...this was her first 5K too, and she's recently finished her last round of chemotherapy. She was a breast cancer survivor. That's all it took. If she could do it, and she could finish strong, then I sure as heck could too! She finished a few yards in front of me, and we hugged and congratulated each other.
What an awesome experience. I've never done anything before that caused me to have that sense of complete and utter "conquer". I freakin' did this. I ran a 5K!!
Never, has a hot shower felt so good either!!
All of you folks starting out this journey...and those of you in the middle of it....KEEP GOING! I was you a few short months ago. I wasn't able to run those first 60 seconds without being winded.
Today, I ran a 5K. SO CAN YOU!!!!!
XXOO
I've been running for over 3 miles for a number of weeks now, but all my runs where in areas around me....flat pavement. This 5K was at a state park. It kicked my *kitten*. There were HUGE hills. I've never run up hills before. It made the whole run very, very different than my bi-weekly neighbourhood runs.
The first mile was really tough. I was almost in a 'panicked' mode as I ran up the first two hills. My side started to tense up, and my breathing was shallow. I remembered what someone wrote here a few weeks ago about their first experience, and how she made herself relax, and breathe. So, that's what I did. I began counting my breaths in, and my breaths out. I began consciously making sure that my hands weren't clenched and that my shoulders were loose. It didn't make the hills any easier, but it made conquering them achievable.
Seeing the first mile marker was actually not a good experience. All I could think was that I still had 2 miles ahead of me; but again, I focused on relaxing and kept going.
Things started to get better as I reached the 2 mile mark. Part of it was mental, knowing that there was a lot less left in front of me than there was behind me. I kept doing mental check-ups of my body, and focusing on the parts that hurt and trying to see through the pain. Once I had to focus on hills again though, the pain didn't matter anymore; it became a matter of conquering the hill.
When I had about a 1/4 of a mile to go, another runner caught up with me. She was about my age. We started talking...this was her first 5K too, and she's recently finished her last round of chemotherapy. She was a breast cancer survivor. That's all it took. If she could do it, and she could finish strong, then I sure as heck could too! She finished a few yards in front of me, and we hugged and congratulated each other.
What an awesome experience. I've never done anything before that caused me to have that sense of complete and utter "conquer". I freakin' did this. I ran a 5K!!
Never, has a hot shower felt so good either!!
All of you folks starting out this journey...and those of you in the middle of it....KEEP GOING! I was you a few short months ago. I wasn't able to run those first 60 seconds without being winded.
Today, I ran a 5K. SO CAN YOU!!!!!
XXOO
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Replies
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That is Fantastic!! .... I am attempting my first 5k next month and am really nervous. But this gives me alot of hope and inspiration. Congratulations and Thank you!!0
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i love this post. thank you THANK YOU!!
it's awesome you talked w some1 while doing it. u rock!!0 -
Great job!!! You did it - with hills!!! :drinker:
Good call recognizing that you should relax and not tense up. Nice profile pic too :happy:0 -
Congrats, great job!0
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Great job Natasha! That reminds me that I need to run the course for my first 'official' 5k the weekend before it happens just to see how I handle the hills.0
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You rock!!!! Thanks for the inspiration! I finished W5D1 today and will be thinking of your story as I push through the rest of the week.0
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That is awesome. Congrats. I will think of you tomorrow when I do W5D3 and face 20 minutes of straight running.
I did my first 5k last month. I ran the first half and did run walk intervals the second half. It was the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. Seeing all the breast cancer survivors finishing strong made me keep going when I wanted to crawl into a hole and sleep.
Cpngtrats again. What an inspration!0 -
Thank you all for your kind replies!
XXOO0
