I'll Never Win First Place

Last June, running a 5K seemed like it was an impossible goal to accomplish. I used to be a runner (sort of). I could at least hang with the ‘fit’ kids. But as years flew by, schedules got crazy and work consumed my life, I found myself not spending enough time being active. I looked in the mirror one day and found myself wondering - where did time go? What happened to my body? Research says after 30, the average person loses about a half pound of muscle per year and gains one pound of fat. For women, add hormonal changes, stress and decreased metabolism. I remember hearing that statistic in my 20’s and always thought, “No way. That won’t be me.” Never say never.

I’ve always had the desire to be active and eat healthy. I think I eat very healthy compared to others. (Another life lesson – don’t compare yourself to others). I was brought up to eat extremely healthy – no pop, water instead; fresh veggies from grandpa’s garden; and we rarely ate out. Although, I think we rarely ate out because we’d break the budget with a family of seven. I’m sure my mom would have much rather eaten out than cook for all of us.

On June 16, I was invited to attend a wellness class based on the book called The Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard. During the class, we were asked to draw a picture of what it looked like to achieve our wellness goal. I drew a picture of myself running a 5K, about to cross the finish line, and put my goal date to accomplish this in one year (June 16, 2012). I’m not an artist - as you can see – but I took my goal seriously and hung the drawing in my cubicle. In the meantime, I had already started walking 3+ miles since last spring and choosing the stairs instead of the elevator. I was determined to eventually run, even if it was only a mile at a time.

In July, a new colleague started at work. Erin is in her 20s, vibrant and runs 5K’s frequently. I found myself gravitating towards her – feeling confident that I could actually run a mile, at least on the treadmill. Somehow, we automatically became “workout buddies” and would often ask each other if we we’re going to go the fitness center after work. I became accountable. And in turn became motivated, even if Erin wasn’t able to workout with me.

In August, Erin “suggested” that we run the Ghosts n Goblins 5K on October 18. I agreed and thought this would be the day that I would actually accomplish my goal. Little did I know - I would run three 5K’s in less than two weeks in the month of October. (BTW – I’m not recommending this as a new runner. I have suffered severe shin splints - photo below).

Saturday, October 8 was the day I ran a 5K (I did not walk one time) at the Red Devil Roundup in Tipp City with Erin and her husband. My goal was to finish under 40 minutes. I crossed the finish line at 32:48, gasping for breath, crying and telling my husband “I did it! I did it!” I couldn’t believe I actually just accomplished my wellness goal. The last time I ran a 5K race was in 2005.

The next weekend I ran the Children’s Miracle March 5K on October 15 and finished third in my age group at 33:13. I even received a medal.

The Ghosts n Goblins 5K finally arrived on October 18. Four of us participated and dressed up in silly outfits. My knees and legs were sore and I was fighting severe shin splints, but I was determined to run the entire race. I was amazed at the size of the crowd (over 3,500 runners) and was hoping I wouldn’t get run over. To my surprise, I finished with a personal record (PR) at 31:53.

My next races are the Girls on the Run of Dayton 5k on November 19 and the 5-mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. I will never be a marathon runner or win first place, but I feel much better about myself and have a sense of accomplishment. Even my blood pressure and cholesterol is much lower since last checked in January.

Small steps, motivation and a "workout buddy” can make a BIG difference.