Defeated but Determined

On Thanksgiving morning, Landon, Leanne, and I completed our first 5K.  It was such a great experience, and I even got a little teary-eyed as were running because it is something that I never thought I would be able to do.  My three goals were to run the entire time without stopping, not come in last, and not fall at any point in the race.

I have jogged that distance before but there is just something different about running together in a huge group, with officials stopping traffic as you cross a busy intersection. 

We lined up in the very back of the pack because we were all a bit nervous about the race.  When it started, we had a little trouble getting around all the walkers, strollers, and dogs (my personal favorite).  We decided that we would not line up in the back the next time because our time started and it took us a little while after that to get to the starting line. 

This is us at the beginning of the race.  When we were about two minutes in, I started feeling sick to my stomach.  I started to panic a little because I was determined to finish even if I had to go throw up on the side of the street.  I pushed through it and it went away.  Landon and I stayed together the whole time, but his pace was faster than what I was accustomed to going. 

A little over two miles in the run, we turned the corner and I looked and saw a huge hill that we were about to climb.  It looked more like a mountain to me at the time, and it was not only steep but long as well.  About halfway up the hill, there was a man on the side of the road by his truck who he was cheering everyone on in that was running.  Something about that man standing up and cheering and encouraging us to keep going lit a second wind within me that kept me going when I really wanted to quit.  I wish I knew who he was because I would love to go and thank him.

As we made the turn and saw the end in sight, a faster song came on in my playlist and I took off to the finish line.  I thought Landon was right beside me but he fell back a little.  I was expecting him to dart beside me at any moment because he is really competitive.  He later told me that he thought he would get a second wind and sprint at the end, but he didn't have it in him.

Landon wasn't too far behind.

Here is the winner.  I wasn't too far behind.  haha!  Add 12.9 minutes!!

Elated!

My father-in-law was so kind to get up early and come to watch the boys and take pictures for us.  I am very thankful for this because Landon and I would not have been able to both participate otherwise.  THANKS MIKE!!

Since Thanksgiving, I have lost a little bit of motivation because I no longer had a goal.  I am very goal orinented and must have something to work toward.  I have considered doing a triathalon sometime this year for my next goal.  Today I thought I may want to actually start swimming to practice.  So, after I jogged on the treadmill this evening, I headed to the pool.  Landon has been swimming a lot this year and he waited after he swam to help me work on my form.  It was miserable!!  I am horrible!  When I finally make it to the other end of the pool I was heaving, verging on hyperventilation.  Needless to say, I didn't swim very much.  I managed to do 5 laps tonight (with stops in between).  I left the YMCA tonight ticked off because I couldn't do better than that!  I will not let the water defeat me.  I am going back tomorrow!  I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I am thinking of finding the triatholon with as little swimming as possible:)