Run, Je-nnay, Run...

This past Saturday I ran my first 5k ever! I had seen this particular fun walk/run listed a while ago in the Champaign Park District Fall booklet and I marked the date on the calendar. I had been waiting for this day for a while.

A brief synopsis of my running background.... well, there isn't one! I have never been a runner or wanted to run. My first (& last) encounter with running happened in junior high. I was on the track team (I have no idea why!) and I ran the shortest relay there was. We had a Saturday track meet at EIU and I remember hopping on the bus to go do my short relay. The coach came up to me and said that one of their mile runners wasn't going to be able to run and she said "Jenn, you can do it. You're going to run the mile today." My throat got tight and I immediately felt nauseous. I ran the mile... well, part of it anyway. I ended up just quitting in the middle and crying because I couldn't go on... or so I thought at that time. So, yeah, I hated running.

Earlier this summer I was encouraged by someone at the church to start running. She said to take baby steps. I would run 1 minute and then walk 3... and eventually I got so I could run a few blocks and then walk.. and on an on. Soon I was running a route that I had establisted to be barely under 2 miles.

I wanted to do the 5k just so I could say that I had run one. My goal was to not walk at all. I had never run more than 2 miles so I was a little nervous about 3.1! But, I did it! I didn't walk at all and boy did it feel good when I was done! I can't wait to run another one! Maybe I'll be able to run a 10k soon????

Madalyn and Mark cheered me on as I left and as I crossed the finish line. Madalyn had more fun playing in the sand box in the park but it was neat to hear her yelling "mommy! mommy!" as I ran past her! It was a great morning and I had sooo much fun!!!