My first 5k in September 2008. I'm the tall one in the center.
Then towards the end of the program the workout of the day was run 3 miles (one loop around the park). I thought, there is NO WAY. The distance just didn't seem conceivable. So, off we go and I'm feeling good. The assistant instructor stayed with me the whole time coaching me. When I would really start to huff and puff he told me, "Slow down, but keep the bounce in your step." That is the best piece of advice that I have learned, and could pass along to other new runners. It doesn't matter how fast you are going, as long as you keep that "bounce" and control your breathing the speed will follow. I think before that I always thought you had to run "fast" but I couldn't sustain that so I thought that I couldn't run. Before I knew it we were back to the beginning of the loop and I couldn't believe I'd made it all the way around the 3 mile loop. It was one of the most incredible feelings, it was my first PR (personal record) in my running career.
In July 2008 I was feeling stuck in my weight loss efforts. At the time I think I weighed 213 and didn't do much in the way of workouts. I thought walking for 30 minutes on the treadmill or 30 minutes on the elliptical was a good workout. I got on the internet and started looking at fitness articles and somehow came across fitness boot camps. I started checking on the local websites, and eventually signed up for Operation Boot Camp. It was crazy (and expensive) I thought, but I knew it would work. It was a one month program, Monday through Friday 6:00am. I made it my birthday gift to myself.
The first day was a fit test to see what your level of fitness was, and then every day after that got progressively harder. The last day was the same fit test you took the first day to see your true progress. It's an understatement to say that I LOVED it. Every morning was a new challenge, and pushed my untrained body to heights I never knew. Pushups? Yup! Running? Yikes, but yes! We ran every where we went in the park. I huffed and puffed trying to keep up with our crazy instructor. Before I knew it, the running became easier. Lots of the workouts included a "Fartlek" which was a completely foreign term to me. Basically it means run around and throw some lunges/pushups/squats etc... into the mix.
Then towards the end of the program the workout of the day was run 3 miles (one loop around the park). I thought, there is NO WAY. The distance just didn't seem conceivable. So, off we go and I'm feeling good. The assistant instructor stayed with me the whole time coaching me. When I would really start to huff and puff he told me, "Slow down, but keep the bounce in your step." That is the best piece of advice that I have learned, and could pass along to other new runners. It doesn't matter how fast you are going, as long as you keep that "bounce" and control your breathing the speed will follow. I think before that I always thought you had to run "fast" but I couldn't sustain that so I thought that I couldn't run. Before I knew it we were back to the beginning of the loop and I couldn't believe I'd made it all the way around the 3 mile loop. It was one of the most incredible feelings, it was my first PR (personal record) in my running career.
Once I knew that I could do the park loop I knew that I could do a 5k. But it was a scary thought to be with other people at a race. Our instructor signed us up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. When our group met for the race I was so nervous. I had no idea what to expect and was surprised at the amount of people that were there. My instructor ran with me the whole way, again coaching me. I slightly hated him at this point, telling him to stop talking to me, I was tired and wanted to stop several times, but powered through and crossed the finish line. After my first 5k, I knew I would never be the same again. Running has changed the entire way I feel about everything. I am a runner.
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