So when I wrote my 5k recap a couple of weeks ago, I wasn't entirely honest. Since then, I've told two people the truth, which is, I ran the whole 5k except for somewhere between five and ten steps.
** I didn't count the steps, so I don't have an exact number. I'm just going with five steps for the rest of the blog, because it helps the narrative to not have to say "somewhere between five and ten steps" each time.
Now, you may be thinking, "Five steps? Why would she make a whole blog post out of five steps? What's the big deal?" Two reasons:
1) I try to be honest, and I don't like that when people have asked me how I did, I've said "Great! I ran the whole race." When really in the back of my mind, all I'm thinking about are those five steps and how I'm a liar. I'm not sure why I've been leaving the five steps out of conversation. Maybe because it's just simpler or maybe because of reason #2.
2) Those five steps mean a lot. They mean I was admitting defeat. They mean I was giving up on my goal. They mean that I was okay with taking the easy way out. I actually made a conscious decision to stop running, even though I knew that I could run that distance (I had done it in training) and I had set a goal to run the whole 5k. Luckily, my body didn't let me give up on myself. When I slowed to the walk so quickly, I got dizzy. I thought, "I'd rather be running and tired than walking and dizzy" so I picked it back up again, and that's why it was only five steps.
So, while I'm not proud of the decision to drop to a walk, I'm trying to use it as a learning experience. Reminding myself of the importance of setting and meeting goals, knowing I would never have gotten as far as I have without them. Remembering that my health is too important to give up on myself. I've still got around 14 pounds to lose before I make it to the big 100 pounds lost. It's been slower going of late, but that doesn't mean I can admit defeat, give up on my goal and take the easy way out. Nope, I'm going to keep running toward the finish.
Running (and weight loss) is such a mental game.
Oh, and since the last 5k post, they've published the official race times. Mine was 33min,36seconds, which is six seconds shy of being two minutes quicker than my last 5k. I finished 197th out of three hundred and something runners and walkers.
Well, that's only one step of walking for every kilometer of running, so it still seems like a pretty good ratio!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I heard about this event and thought of you:
"The Tri-Red Triathlon, an American Red Cross sponsored event, kicks off at Great Dunes Park on Jekyll Island on Sunday, October 10, 2010.
The course involves a 400 yard ocean swim, a 12 mile flat bike course and a 5K out and back style run along a flat and fast course along the bike paths."
A 400 yard ocean swim in October?! I was out there yesterday, probably 20mph winds on the marsh side (not the ocean) and the chop was getting up pretty good on the water. These people must be serious! (or crazy)
You be the judge.
A 400-yard swim is nothing! If I'm doing the math right that's only 16 lengths in my gym pool. It can't be that cold yet, can it?
ReplyDeleteToo bad it's next weekend...I need a little notice than that.
Hey, there's a triathlon on Amelia Island (south of Jekyll) in two weeks ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't think Jekyll will host another til the "Turtle Crawl Triathlon" next May.
Jill, if you do the Turtle Crawl Triathlon, I'll go with you!! (Heck, I'll do anything that has to do with turtles.)
ReplyDeleteYes, I would totally do the Turtle Crawl. I definitly want to do a tri someday and the best ones are at the beach and the best way to go to the beach is while staying with Abi and Bryan, so it makes sense. I don't think it would even take much training.
ReplyDeleteOkay, maybe not much training for YOU, but I'd have to work rather hard to get into swimming shape!
ReplyDeleteAlso, after posting the initial "let's do it!" comment, I went to the gym and did a brick workout. I've got another planned tonight. :)
I just had to google brick workouts, but now I know what you're talking about and am excited is has a name. I've once completed a swim-bike-run workout at the gym, but should maybe try that again before May.
ReplyDelete