For the last few months I have been training myself to run a 5k. I felt I needed to do this to prove to myself that I can do anything that I put my mind to. Back in December of 2012 I felt that I needed a change. I was just coming out of a deep depression that I didn't think I could come out of. It's hard to pull yourself out of that deep of a hole. I realized that I wasn't alone and that I had to change my perspective on my situation and make myself a better person.
I wanted to change and I felt inspired to run a 5k. I felt that this would help me to become the person that I have always wanted to be. The overwhelming feeling that came over me and inspiration to run came as quite a shock. I have never liked to run. I was never good at it when I was younger. So running didn't sound like a great thing for me to do, yet I had a strong impression that it was just the thing I needed to do. Weird.
I made a plan to do a "Couch to 5k" running program at home. The first day I started my program I was feeling really good about myself until I started to run. 30 seconds into my run (really, it was a jog) I felt like my lungs were on fire and that I was going to die. (A little dramatic on my part, but that's how I really felt). So I slowed down and decided to take it 30 seconds at a time. Once I could run 30 seconds with ease I upped the amount of time I would run at any given moment. Over time my lungs felt great, I could run for minutes at a time and I felt like I could accomplish anything.
I got up to running 15 minutes straight and was so impressed with myself. My husband, who is awesome at running even when he hasn't run in months or years, can run for 20 minutes straight without stopping or even feeling like he is going to pass out. I wanted to beat him so badly in running which gave me extra motivation to run and put more effort into what I was doing.
I started to run outside once the weather became nicer. I changed my strategy from "minutes I ran" to "miles I ran". I mapped out distances around the neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods of where I live. Let me tell you, running outside is sooo much better than running inside on a treadmill!
I now run 2.5 miles without stopping. I have never felt better, more energized, and happier than I do now. I'm amazed at how far I have come from the first day of running. When I run I feel like I could go on forever.
Last Saturday I ran my first 5k. I ran it by myself in an area that I mapped out the distance. I'm happy to say that I accomplished my goal! I can run a 5k and plan on running many more. My time, which is an awesome time for me, of running the 5k was just 33.35 minutes! I'm so stoked and proud! I never could have imagined me running, let alone running a 5k in 33 minutes a few months ago.
If I can do it anyone can do it. One thing that I have learned is that it is all a mind game. Once you get over the hurdle that your own mind puts in the way, you can accomplish so much more than you ever imagined.
An added bonus and one of the main reasons for starting to run was to lose weight. Since I've started running I've lost almost 30 lbs! I'm so happy to say that I'm proud of myself and what I have accomplished. These last few years have been a roller coaster of emotions and running has helped me to turn those emotions into something productive. I still have a ways to go before I'm to where I want to be (weight and emotion wise), but I know that it is possible. I never would have thought that running could help me get there.
I'm so thankful to my Heavenly Father for inspiring me to do this for myself. I know I would have never thought it was possible. I'm so thankful for my husband and his continued support in all that I do. Without his love and support I know I wouldn't have been able to accomplish my goal of running a 5k. He inspires me to continue and become a better person everyday.
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