My First 5K

Last night, I got very little sleep. I'm not sure why I was so nervous and anxious, but I was. Up until today, I had been referring to the run today as a practice and the first "real" 5k would be on the 19th. However, as I thought more and more about it, the bottom line was that today was, in all actuality, the first REAL 5k.

I got my bib last night when Steve got home from work and it was real. The funny part, is that I've never run a 5k and I had no idea how the bibs worked. I had to Google how to put the bib on because I assumed it was like a sticker... nope.

I received a lot of suggestions from friends on Facebook and one was to not forget the chaffing stick/Vasoline. Thankfully, Steve was thoughtful and already got some for us. I was set in that department.

This morning I woke up feeling jittery. I got in the shower and tried to mentally plan things out and I was conflicted about which of my training days to use. Should I use week 5 day 2 (the day that I'm on) or skip to week 5 day 3 where you run for 20 straight minutes? Decisions decisions.

We were on the road by 6:30am and arrived at Emory right at 7:15. It gave us about 15 minutes to park and head to the field where Steve's work was gathering for their group picture.

Here's where things went drastically bad. I assumed (wrongfully) that the event was going to be flat and it was throughout Emory's campus, which is full of hills. MONSTER hills. I was a bit panicked when I realized this.

From walking from the car to the field, I was tired from going uphill. How the eff was I going to run the 5k when I was exhausted before it even started?!?!

Steve's coworkers gathered and they got their group picture.

We headed to the starting line at 8:30 and then it started and we were still standing there. And then several minutes passed and we were still standing there. I was faced with something that I had not counted on... all the people and all the walkers.

 Ready to run!

 My serious face

SO. MANY. PEOPLE.

My five minute warm-up was over and I couldn't run because I was stuck behind a ton of walkers. It was so frustrating. Then we got to the bottom of the hill and turned the corner and I was able to start running.

Awesome.

Then I stopped again. Not awesome.

I could not get my pace because I was met with a constant start/stop due to people being in the way and taking up the entire road.

I passed Steve and the boys and started off and then got stuck and they caught back up to me. Then there was a MONSTER hill and I slowed down... way down and they kept going.

From that point on, I felt like it was a losing battle. I was so tired and the hills were exhausting. I would run when I hit the top of the hill and run until it was back down to the bottom. But it was so hard.

I don't know how I did it, but I made it to the first mile.

As you can see, it's a pretty flat area and I was running on the sidewalk so I could pass the walkers. I was good for a while and hit the first water station (at the 1/2 way point). It was perfect timing and exactly what I needed. I kept on going.

 
Then the course went into the back side of campus and down Greek row. There were several fraternities out on their lawns cheering for the runners, which was nice. I had my headphones in the whole time, but I could hear them as I ran past. I was pretty far behind Steve and felt like I was probably in the middle of the walking herd. I wanted to break out, but just after the water station, my left foot started to go numb.

I don't know if I pinched a nerve or what, but the numbness went from my foot, up my left and into my knee. It was so scary to not be able to feel my foot and it scared me from running too much because I was afraid I'd step wrong and sprain my ankle.

It was about that point that I started to feel a lot of doubt. I hurt and I was tired and I was disappointed that my first run wasn't a run but more of a walk. My C25K app ended and it said I did 1.86 miles, walked 0.93 at a 18:58 pace and then ran 0.94 for a 17:02 pace. Overall, it's not horrible considering that it was all hilly and I wasn't following it like I normally do.

I think the worst part of the course was past mile two. It was nice and shaded, relatively flat and then it came around the corner and it was back to the same part as the beginning... and straight up hill. For the last almost mile, it was up hill the entire time. I really had to find internal motivation and strength and kept saying, "Unicorns and rainbows..." as I was running.

When I hit mile three, I knew I was close (a 5k is 3.1 miles). I was determined to run across the finish line. Back at mile two, Steve and I were texting each other and he knew I was not in front of him, as he assumed, but waaaaaaaaay behind him. He sent me motivating texts that got me through the rough part.

At mile three, I could see the finish line. The runners that had finished were gathering on the side to cheer on the people coming after them and I don't even know what came over me. Seriously. It was the most surreal experience of my life.

I hit a stride that was strong, and I was giving it my all, and I felt like I was going to throw up, burst into tears, and explode all at once. I think it was an adrelanine spike... but it was crazy. I crossed the finish line just at an hour.

I ran and walked for an hour. HOLY COW.

When Steve found me, I couldn't even contain myself and I burst into tears. I was sobbing. I couldn't talk, couldn't really move, and just cried. I was disoriented and felt so overwhelmed with emotion. I immediately had to pee (that feeling passed), and I couldn't even focus on anything. When I asked him if he got a picture of me crossing the finish line, he admitted that he was not able to capture it.

 
So I sat down and drank some water and then decided that I wanted pictures of me crossing the line. We decided to recreate the moment... so I went back onto the course and he had his camera ready, and we recreated the moment.

Then we headed to the field and gathered back with his group from work.

I am so proud of myself for finishing. It was the hardest thing, physically, that I've ever done. Parts of me were hearing, "Suck it up, it's ONLY 5k" and then other parts were like, "Dude... this time last month you couldn't even run for a minute..." so it was good.

We headed home and had lunch and then took a nap. My legs are sore and tired, but I was able to stretch in the shower before my nap and I think it helped. 

I am thankful that have my first 5k under my belt and have so much respect for people who run long distances on a usual basis.

The craziest thing to me, was that it took 3 minutes to get to the starting line... then about 15 minutes to get to the bottom of the first hill (because of all the people). The first place runner... finished the race in 17 minutes. So they were finishing the entire thing, when I was just getting to the bottom of the first hill. It's an incredible thing to think about.

I got some awesome support from my cousin Jessica as I was running. She sent me texts before I ran and then I got a few while I was running and some after. She is so supportive. My friends on FB posted some really awesome things and really made me feel loved. I really am blessed to have such supportive people in my life.

Here's what I learned:

• I want to get the phone holder thingy so I don't have to hold my phone as I run
• I want to get a runner's belt that has the bib clip and water bottle holder
• I don't think 5k's are all that they're cracked up to be. I hated not being able to run when I wanted/needed to run and being forced to start and stop around walkers
• The cheering stations along the course... are SO IMPORTANT!!! If you know a runner, take the time to go out and support them!!!
• I can and DID complete my race-- that's all that matters!!!