Nearly a month later.....

It's been nearly a month since I posted last. I'd love to say I'd gotten in 15-20 more run/walk sessions since then, but I haven't. Today was my 3rd since my last post. Lori had some times she couldn't do it, I had some times I couldn't do it, and then a few excuses thrown in there.... all that combined adds up to no running.

This morning we got up and went for it. I didn't want to. I'll be honest. I wanted to curl back up in bed with my quilt that my grandmother made me and my pillow. I got up a little late, but I got up. I resisted the urge to tell Lori stay home and get some more sleep. I told her that while I really would rather sleep, I needed to run. She got here a little after 6AM, and we were off.

She changed things up on me, and we didn't take our usual route. I wasn't enthused about the new route we were going to take. It included more hills - and the first one she wanted me to run the entire way to the top. I honestly can't remember if I made it or not. I mean, I made it to the top of the hill, but I can't remember if I ran the whole way. If not the whole way, I made it a good bit up. It was nice to take a different route, and we're going to do it again tomorrow, for the most part, tomorrow... with a little bit of a change up.

So, today Lori and I went 3.11 miles in an hour and two minutes. That's 4/10 of a mile farther than last time, and 1 minute faster. I ran more than I've ever run before, ran up more hills than I have ever run before, my stride length has improved, and I didn't have to stop for any stretching. Lori usually stops the time on her watch/GPS if I need to stop so that the time she gets is actual movement time. She didn't have to stop it for me today!

I lasted a good bit longer in the run/walk before I got really tired, and it hit me fast. I was fine, and then I was hurting. But this was with less than a mile to go. The hardest part was the hill that leads right up to my house. It's right after a cul-de-sac that we run, so usually we walk up the hill to my house. Today, we ran the cul-de-sac, and Lori said we were going to run to the top of the hill. I was hurting and tired. I think by the time I reached the top I was making a lot of noise and nearly in tears. Not the "I-hurt-and-want-to-quit--- whining type tears," but rather the kind that come to the surface when you know you are giving all you have and trying to summon the strength to make it just that much farther. So, by the time we reached the top all the energy I was trying to drag up from my toes I thing I just expelled with a nice "Aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh."

It felt good to make it. To push myself. To know that I'm getting stronger. I am not an athlete, mentally. People tell me I am because I work out, I run, I've done a race. I don't feel like one, though. I don't have that drive to push myself on my own. I'm so thankful that Lori is there to push me. I know the day will come when I'll have the drive to push myself. I look forward to when Lori and I can go out for a run, and it's not her pushing me, but us pushing each other.

I'm getting there!

Back at it

After doing the 5K Friday night, I didn't do anything Saturday or Sunday. Monday Lori and I mostly walked 1.98 miles. I was still hurting. Tuesday, I had intended to get up and do my own run/walk, but I didn't make it. Tuesday night I got in a very short run/walk, but it was better than doing nothing, I guess. Wednesday, I did nothing. Mom and I headed to Columbus to say goodbye to Aunt Carol. The service was sad, but beautiful.

It was Aunt Carol that kept me going this morning. Lori told me yesterday that today we'd do 3.1 miles, and we'd run/walk the entire thing... and I couldn't complain. Today was the first day I did this that I didn't feel like I was going to collapse. I hurt, but it wasn't the intense pain in my calves I'd experienced before. My feet didn't hurt like they normally do. By the end they were hurting, but nothing like they hurt before.

I'm still working towards being able to run more, and slowly I am getting there. I kept thinking about the Free to Breathe 5K in August. I'm doing that one for Aunt Carol. It benefits lung cancer awareness and research. I want to run as much of it as I possibly can. It's going to be a hilly race. I don't care if I place - I probably won't. I just want to run it (as much as I can) and finish it.

Keep on moving...

Well, I can't keep calling these posts "Journey to a 5K" since I've already done one. I completely took Saturday and Sunday off. I was so tired, I went to bed at 9PM. This morning I didn't want to wake up at all. I was so happy to have a text message from Lori that said she wanted to meet at 7AM instead of 6AM. I still barely got up in time. We opted for an "easy" morning - 1.98 mile run/walk in the neighborhood in about 42 minutes. My right foot and left calf bothered me. I couldn't favor one without the other one hurting. It was almost comical. We are taking tomorrow off, and then Wednesday (if I am here) we are planning on doing the entire 3.1 mile run/walk.

Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5K, August 21st

This is what I am working towards. I originally had planned to run/walk this in honor of a close family friend, Carol Pannell. Aunt Carol was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer at the end of May. Today, Father's Day, she lost her battle with lung cancer and she is now with her daddy and her Heavenly Father.

I am now participating in the Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5K in memory of Aunt Carol.

My heart is so sad right now. I didn't see her that often, but I loved the times when I got to see her. The last time I saw her was when Paw Paw was in the hospital. His defibrillator jolted him, and he was rushed to the hospital. When I got there, Aunt Carol and Uncle Larry were there, along with some other family and friends. There were there off and on for the few days that Paw Paw was in the hospital. Aunt Carol and Uncle Larry were as close to family as you could get without actually being related. My heart breaks for Uncle Larry and the rest of his family.

Please keep the Pannell family in your thoughts and prayers. If you'd like to make a donation for the Free to Breathe 5K for lung cancer research and awareness... please follow this link... http://participate.freetobreathe.org/site/TR/RunWalk/General?px=1275381&pg=personal&fr_id=1312&et=Un8uM0jvOjpn3ISI-EiULA..&s_tafId=4219 .

After the 5K

I've been asked, "Wasn't that fun?" I'm not sure fun is the word I'd use. I'm sure at some point, I'll enjoy it, but last night... no.

Don't get me wrong. It was a fantastic experience. I learned a little more about myself. I realized that while I've done a lot in a week, I've still got a long way to go. I am glad I did it - even though I walked most of it, and most of that I was moaning and groaning. My calves felt like they were on fire, but I finished.

I also learned I have some great friends. I had two phenomenal ladies who walked the entire 5K with me (because, let's face it - I walked a whole lot more than I ran). They wouldn't let me give up on myself. They had the determination for me that I wasn't sure I possessed. Then, there were the friends who were there near the end. They'd already finished a good bit earlier, but they were there to cheer me on. They were there to cheer me on to the finish. I've learned I am truly blessed.

Here are a few pictures from last night's 5K. It's called the Midnight Run for Missions. I hope they do this again next summer so I can compare June 18, 2010 with the same 5K a year later.


This is Lori, Gail, and me before the race.


Here we are!!!


This was Gail's and my first 5K, so we had to show off our first 5K t-shirt. :-)


I look like I'm having a great time. I was hurting. Either Lori or Gail told me I'd better smile or else I was not going to like the picture Patrick took. LOL


And... the finish!!

I did it!

Oh. My. Gosh.

It hurt like heck. I won't lie. We barely started, and I was ready to be done. Lori and Gail, however, had other ideas. My goal was to finish, and to do it in under an hour fifteen minutes. Once we started and my calves were reminded of what I've been doing the last week, I just wanted to finish. And... my time was one hour seven minutes.

At one point Gail asked if she and Lori were motivating me or annoying me, to which I replied, "Annoying me." But honestly, if it weren't for Lori and Gail, I wouldn't have finished. I'd have given up before even a mile was done. This isn't ingrained in me yet. I've still got a long way to go. I walked most 5K, and even that hurt.

Lori told me no matter what, I had to finish running. She said that when we get to the corner where Patrick was taking pictures I had to start running. It was really awesome to get to that corner and see Mike there cheering me on. Then, just a little bit farther was Kristi and some other folks from our group. And then, everyone that had already run and had finished well before us cheered us on to the finish line.

I'm so thankful for Lori and Gail for not letting me quit. This could be the hardest thing I've ever done, and I hurt. But I did it. And, I'll do it again. At least one more time as I have a 5K in August. I want to get to the place where I can actually run a 5K, it not hurt me, and I actually enjoy running. I'm determined to get there.

Journey to a 5K, June 18, 2010

When I started this last week, the goal was to work up to a 5K in August. I picked out the Free to Breathe Lung Cancer 5K. I am doing it in honor of my friend Carol Pannell who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. (If you would like to make a donation, please let me know and I'll give you a link.) This is not only for me, it's for her.

Now, I'm not sure how let myself get talked into this.. and to be honest, I'm scared to death.. but I am leaving in a little over an hour to do the Midnight Run for Missions. Yep. A week and two days later, I'm doing a 5K.

I'm not going to lie. I'm terrified. I have done a 5K in my neighborhood, but only twice. Once was a run/walk, the other was simply a walk. Both were this week. Wednesday for the run/walk and Thursday for the walk.

I'm so scared. Scared I'm going to be the largest person there. Scared I'm going to let my friends down. Scared I'm going to let myself down. Scared that even though I've done it before, I won't be able to finish. My goal is to finish.

Deep down I know that I've got this. I know I can do it. But there's this little bitty seed of doubt because I've never done anything like this before. I've never been athletic. I've never entered any sporting event. By midnight tonight, I won't be able to say that.

I think.... and hope.... that tonight will be the start of a very positive new direction for me. One that includes me being fit instead of fat. I'm so thankful for my friends who are doing this tonight, too.... Lori, Mike, Gail, Kristi, and Ben. I know Lori and Gail are planning on staying with me. I'm not sure about Ben. Mike and Kristi will run it at their own pace, I think. I know Patrick will be at the finish line waiting for me.

OK, I think I've worked out most of the fear, and excitement is starting to settle in. My next post, I'll have done a 5K!!!!!!!