Accomplishments!

There are very few things in life that can make you feel as good as being able to accomplish something. Whether it is accomplishing a simple task, like trying a new recipe and having it taste good, or something major like running in a marathon. I started running last fall. I never thought I could run, would run or would even want to run.

I started running when I was in an exercise boot camp. We did all kinds of different exercise/fitness combinations and one thing we HAD to do was run. The place where we had bootcamp has a track that is about 1/3 of a mile long. 'When we started I couldn't run it at all. I am not kidding! Calen, our motivator, told us to just go at our own pace, so I would walk it. After the first week, he wasn't so nice anymore and he made me run. At first I could only run 1/4 of a lap, then a 1/2 of a lap, then the whole lap. I know it was only 1/3 of a mile, but the fact that I could run the whole thing was very inspiring and I started running on the trail we have in our neighborhood on some of my off days from bootcamp.

What can I say? Since last fall I have logged over 300 miles of running. I run between 15 to 20 miles a week and I love it. I have lost over 30 pounds doing it and really enjoy it. I have improved my pace from over 13 minute miles to just under 10 and a 1/2 minute miles. Last night I entered my first running event. I ran a 5K in Plattsmouth. It was a mixed terrain track, I ran through grass, on cement, and through a rocked trail in the forest. It was the hardest run I have ever ran. There were many times I thought about cheating (it would have been so easy to do, noone would have even known). There were lots of chairs along the route, as we ran by some baseball fields, I thought about sitting in someone's chair and just stopping. I thought about just falling down where I was and hoping someone would come find me. But, I didn't do any of those things. I finished it. I walked about 5 times, which I rarely do in my normal running. I finished in 38 minutes and took LAST place, but hey, I placed! I am very happy to have my first running event under my belt.

They have these events every two weeks. The organizer of the event about fell over when he found out that was my first race and said it is an extremely difficult course. He said he thought I could probably shave a minute off of my time next race. Yeah, there probably isn't going to be another race, at least not there, not this year. Maybe next year, after I get a few more running events down. That one was one tough race. But, I got a free ice cream cone! And the pride of finishing a run. Who would have thought that Stephanie would ever pay money to run? Not me!