I DID IT--My 5K Goal Achieved!!

About a year ago, while watching the kids while Daddy ran his 5K, I took notice of all the people who were running it. Sure, there were your 'typical' runners...lean legs, ridiculous running shorts, expensive running shoes, and I Pod gear to the nines...but, mostly there were people just like me. Men and women who did not look at all like avid runners, many of who were heavier than I was at the time...and they were all at the starting line and were going to give it their all. I decided right then and there that I was going to run it next year...and that was yesterday,
and I did!
It wasn't beautiful by any means and I have a blister to prove it, but I ran they entire way. I wasn't going to give in to the pressure of walking even though there were plenty of others around me who were dropping like flies. Yes, I am a little irritated that there were a few around me who walked a bit and still beat me (They were what I call walk/sprinters...sprint like mad for awhile only to have to drop down to a walking pace. Then when slow poke me has to pass them, they think to themselves "Crap, she passed me...I need to sprint again." And then, they're off again), but I'll get over it...I have never been fast and never will claim to be. I finished in about 39:40...I am unsure of my 'official' time, but I blasted my personal goal of 42:00 (Daddy thought I should aim for 36:00 and I actually wasn't too far off from it!). It certainly isn't spectacular to those of you who can run it in 21:00 (ahem...Daddy), but for me...after running around the neighborhood for practice, attending every Saturday workout possible to help train, and dropping 25 lbs to help lessen the load...it is amazing! Maybe I'll even consider doing it again sometime...we'll see...because, in reality, I still hate to run!!