About a month ago, my SIL called me to ask if I wanted to do the Race for the Cure with her. Without any hesitation I said yes. I've had a 10k on the brain for about a year. On the brain and on the feet are two different things. But this, I thought, would actually push me to do something. And half of a 10k is way more than I'd run in a long time.
I had done this event once many years ago when I lived in Sacramento. It was a fluke thing where I had planned to walk but ended up running the whole way thanks to my buddy who pushed me and cheered me along. That was the first time in my life I had run three miles straight. We didn't even check to see what our time was.
I've run that distance a few times since and hated every single second of it.
I started out slow. About a 12-minute mile on the treadmill. Then PK suggested I make an 11-minute mile my goal. I ran at that pace shortly thereafter. It was hard work. Once I could run the 5k consistently; albeit slow, I tried mixing things up: four miles at a 12 pace; two miles at a 10 pace. I had no idea if what I was doing was effective in any way, and I didn't have the luxury of time on my side to worry about it.
The day was fast approaching. There was no fighting it. I would do this thing and acknowledge the ladies that did fight and who continue to fight a bigger battle than I can ever imagine.
D went out a couple of days before and bought me a new pair of shoes. His gesture was so touching to me. They were pretty and they were pink.
Unfortunately, the shoes never hit the pavement on race day. I found them on the living room floor when I came home a few hours after the run was over. Lucky for me KK came through and let me borrow hers.
The weather was perfect and the atmosphere was rockin'.
Running outside proved to be as grueling as I expected. It was for that reason that I didn't set a time goal for myself . Running in the comfort of a climate-controlled environment, on a flat and padded surface is easier than pounding the concrete and taking in the elements. I knew what I was getting myself into, and as long as I ran the whole way at no more than a 12mpm pace, I'd be good.
My SIL, on the other hand, kicked butt. She hates to run and probably hadn't even run around the block in years :), but she trained hard, set a time goal for herself, and met it. In a very short time and with an aching knee. A weaker woman would have used that as an excuse to stop, but not her. Her mom is a breast cancer survivor and her inspiration for the run. She comes from a family of women warriors! I am so proud of her. And I'm sure her mom is too.
Way to go, KK!
I met some figurative bumps along the way as well, the details of which I won't get into here. I didn't push through them like KK did, but up until I stopped at about the 2.87 mile mark I was okay with it. Soon after starting again I saw D and the kids at what I thought was the finish line and I lost it. I don't know who I think I let down, but I was overcome with emotion.
Finally, after what seemed like forevah, I crossed the finish line. At first glance, when I looked at my time, 36.9, my tantrum from a few minutes before was all but forgotten. Today, when I looked at the official results, I felt some disappointment. If the timing chip is to be believed and I came in at 36.3, then the answer to the question of whom I let down, would be nobody. I left the Seattle Center knowing I could have done better, but it would be easier to take if I hadn't come in under my time "goal," if that's what we're calling it. It's like watching your team get beat by one point....you'd rather they just got their butt kicked.
I'll get over it. Or maybe not. But that will be my motivation for next time.
Thanks, KK, for a great day ♥♥
Griswold Out.
(To my kids: I want you to know that I wasn't completely honest when I told you that I cried because I was tired and just so happy to see you. I was somewhat tired and I was happy to see you, but I was also really mad and threw a tantrum because things didn't go my way ~ yes, the same thing I tell you not to do. A perfect example of do as I say, not as I do. You should also know that when I say I stopped, I did just that.....I stopped, regrouped, and after about 30 seconds continued on. I never walked :)
Back in September, J declared that THIS would be the year he had perfect attendance. Without even trying, he almost got it in Kindergarten. It was a couple of weeks before the end of the year when I realized that he hadn't missed a day. As luck would have it, the week before school got out he came down with a bug of some sort and had to stay home. Even before first grade started we planned a Thanksgiving trip to Sacramento, so it wasn't gonna happen then. But come second grade it was on.
