*NSV*- quasi-lengthy story, sorry :/

I completed my first 5k ever today....

Scratch that, today I completed a 5k, and ran the WHOLE thing.

I had done some practice runs before today, going out to the track at the local Junior college. For some reason, I could never manange to run the whole thing.... maybe half.... and never all at once.

I would walk a lap, run a lap, etc. Up until today, that was the best I (thought I) could do. To be honest, I was completely stoked and satisfied with that.

Up until today, I DREADED running. As a child, I was diagnosed with severe asthma, and had numerous hospital stays several times a year. It wasn't until I was a teen (late teens, at that) that I was finally able to get it under control. By then, the damage was done. Between the steroids, and mental stress (from hearing how much I "can't" and my moms horrible baking habits) I was an overweight teen with an eating problem. Running was out-of-the-question.

Fast forward to my late twenties. After reaching an all-time high of 240lbs (ish), I had dropped down to the 180's(ish) and settled there. After my husband was diagnosed with emphysema (at age 28) I quit smoking (because my rebellious teen years led to the bright idea that this 'controlled asthmatic' should smoke). Almost a year later, I really started focusing on dropping some pounds. I zeroed in on my horrible eating habits, and more importantly: my fear of exercise.

I started working out once a week with a personal trainer, doing moderate cardio and strength training. I HATED it at first! My body was is rebellion mode, giving me every possible sign that would indicate exercise was a bad thing. I felt nauseous, shakey, dizzy, exhausted, painfully sore. . . but I kept going. And it got better. Slowly but surely, it got better. Easier. I got better.

And slowly but surely, the weight has come off.... More importantly, the inches have come off.... and the body fat % has gone down.

The idea of running had always been a dream of mine, but pushed far away from reality.... Until I visited a local shoe store that had tons of information on a local running group along with marathon events in the area. Hmmm. . . I could do that. Maybe not run the whole thing, but give it a shot. . . . neh, I am definitely not a runner.

Then a friend of mine posted on her facebook about doing C25k, and how she signed up for the local 5k. Then my sister-in-law posted how she had signed up. . . It was a conspiracy!! -look guys, this gal does not run!!-. . . I put it off and put it off until the very last day before the price hike (literally, 11:45pm) and finally hit the confirm button. There was no going back - afterall, I did just spend $26 on it.

So I practiced, on the track at the local college, one day a week (my other cardio was elliptical, etc.) for about a month prior to the event....fast forward to today. With my heart in my throat and my body both giddy and numb with excitement and nervousness, I went for it. As soon as the announcer said go, I began my "shuffle" and YELLED at myself (in my head of course, I didn't want to scare the children!) to do anything I needed except walk/stop. Tears filled my eyes when I saw local supports with signs that read "The Best Parade of the Year, BY FAR!!", or when I saw the really old couple, hand in hand in their motor chairs, bundled in blankets waving and clapping for us as we went past.

I didn't stop. . . I slowed down when it got hard to breath. I sped up when I had a burst of energy. I zoned out to my Pandora music.... I waved on the person who would stop to walk (the one who I spent time passing and falling behind the entire run) to encourage them to keep it up.

I didn't stop. . . . and when I saw the finish line, I sped up! I sure as heck wasn't going to stop now!! And when I crossed the finish line, for a moment, everything was quiet. I could see people everywhere cheering, talking, breathing. . . but I heard nothing. The kid directing the finish line runners waved at me as everything came back. I could stop running. And I finally did.

I completed my first 5k today, and I ran the whole thing.

.... and I am not stopping here, today was only the beginning...