Runnin' for the HOUSE!!!

Man, it's been crazy. I've barely had a chance to breathe, let alone update this thing. So I'll play a little catch up.
I ran my first 5K a few weeks ago! I've never done anything like that before. I usually wimp out and do whatever "fun walk" option is available. But this time around, all my friends were doing the 5K for the Ronald McDonald Runnin' For the House challenge. It's an event my station hosts, and we were volunteering with the setup. When I mentioned I would just do the walk, my friend Kristin told me she thought I should try the run. She reminded me that I go jogging everyday anyway, so it shouldn't be a big deal.
That's true...except my idea of jogging is more of a jog-walk for a mile, two if I'm feeling really ambitious. I've never done three before!
So after feeling a little peer-pressure, I snuck into the 5K runners section. And when Ronald McDonald himself kicked off the race, I started to run.

A few things I learned along the way:

I could almost hear my middle school P.E. teachers scream "Pace yourself!" I learned quickly it doesn't matter where you are in the pack, especially if you haven't trained. It was humbling to sprint that first half mile, then gasp for air and feel like you're gonna topple over!

Speaking of being prepared, having an inhaler would have been nice. Eating breakfast would have been smart, wearing sunscreen would have been even smarter!

Fanny packs ARE cool! All the serious runners had a belt or pack, which I totally wanted after jangling my keys for three miles!

Most importantly, I learned my body is a lot tougher than I give it credit for. I usually back out of stuff like this and blame my asthma or bad leg. But you know what? Once I paced myself better, my asthma wasn't an issue. And my leg never became a problem. Whenever it got hard, I would remember what this race was raising money for. I ran alongside families who have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House. Their stories were inspiring. One mother kept reminding her daughter about the importance of keeping this organization going, since they had to use its services not long ago.

I ran, walked, and jogged the race in 46 minutes. My goal was to do it under 50. It's a start! The best was seeing my friends all waiting for me at the finish line. I'd say we got a great workout, but it was probably negated when we went to Hash House A Go Go!

Me and Kristin. I can do a 5K...just can't keep my eyes open!