Tis the Season to 5K

For whatever reason, I decided that I should run the Give and Gobble 5K on Thanksgiving day. While I was deciding on doing this for real or not, my sister seized the moment and made it a must do.
 To be clear since early October I have developed a nightly double chocolate with chocolate syrup ice cream addiction. I joke with the cashiers at the grocery store that this is a far better choice than wine. You should see their faces as they try and decide if this mom with a daughter who really needs to be restrained is really serious.
Trust me I am.
So here I am close to 150 LBS and grossly out of shape. That is being nice.
I put on my go face and I registered and it was a done deal. I picked up my registration kit and the ugly bright neon green shirt and a map....
Oh this is going to be ugly!!! I check out the map and I know I am in for it. I call my sister to explain to her the hole that we have dug and already I am out of breath.

This is me the morning before the race, as you can tell I am over the moon with excitement. But kudos to me it isn't even 8 o'clock on Thanksgiving morning and I am up and ready to go.




We get there, I snag a free banana and some water and spend the next hour or so before the race in line at the Port a Potty. To be clear, I was using it, waiting in line, and using it. Yep, this is the bladder of a late thirties, had three kids kind of mom.

I started stronger than I thought and I pushed as hard as I could. But my sister's growing concern over my lack of breathing made me realize I had to slow down for just a bit. And then it took a lot for me to get going again. It became clear that not only could I not breathe, I couldn't run either.

I finished at 41 minutes. Not as weak as I had anticipated, my sister came in at 38 almost 39 minutes.

So I did it, I survived and I immediately registered for another one on December 12. Only this time I encourage my 15 year old son and my sister to join me.

Ready to Run!

At the Finish Line



My son was so excited to have an opportunity to win. To show my sister and I that he is the fastest. And he was at 37 minutes and 10 seconds and my sister was just a few seconds behind him, I came it at 39 minutes. I was amazed and barely standing, a pitiful sight at the finish line.

We were Ready!

Lucky for me, most of this one was walking really fast uphill and then running downhill. On the main highway I would only walk past the grassy areas and the driveways I made myself run. By the end of the race my legs were sore, cramps in my thighs, my arms were numb and I could barely breath. I could have been a little faster, but I snagged two cups of water at the water station. Had I not done that, I may not have made it at all.

I am proud of each of us for doing this. We are all in our own ways out of shape, and untrained. But we got out there and supported a great cause while running or walking our little hearts out.

 

Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.