The 2009 getfit@mit Fitness Challenge is presented by MIT Medical
A first 5K… and a new life ahead
by NewImage on April 21, 2009
April 19, 2009
Post from “NewImage”
Many of us have been quiet over these past several weeks, but I think I speak for many of us when I say that it’s not that we have given up– just the opposite, actually. We’ve been busy working out! I think we have just gotten into a routine, and the nutrition and exercise are coming a bit more naturally these days. This journey has been amazing for me. I have a new-found self-confidence that was buried so deep I didn’t think it existed. It’s a great feeling.
I successfully completed my first official “5K” today!!! I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it was a big deal to me! I only started jogging about three weeks ago. A few friends had been offering to take me out running, and I kept saying that I couldn’t do it. When I started the Biggest Loser competition I had many goals. Running was never one of the things on my list. Anyone who knows me can tell you that for years I would look at runners and wonder why the heck they would put themselves through that grueling affair, yet I envied their dedication. I recently saw a funny quote, not sure who said it: “When I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.” But after hearing many people talk about running, I decided that eventually maybe I would have a change of heart, and perhaps once I lost a more weight–maybe by the fall–I would try a 5K.
Recently one of my friends told me that I wasn’t giving myself enough credit when I’d question my ability to run. She knew I had been exercising a lot, taking many different classes–step, body boxing, boot camp, and others,–and she thought I would surprise myself. I had also lost over 25 pounds by then. I hadn’t done much jogging on the treadmill because, to be honest, I don’t love the treadmill. It makes me a bit dizzy, so when I tried jogging on it I had to hold on–and that just is not easy to do when your body and arms want to sway naturally. So I avoided it. I realized though that since I had started this competition, I had been telling myself that I would not allow myself to make excuses. This started to sound like an excuse to me and I wasn’t going to have it.
So, one day after a workout, a friend took me to the track and we began to run a lap. She said we could walk one, run one. I realized that I started off way too fast because my breathing was out of control. My legs felt very strong, like they could endure it, yet I couldn’t breathe. She gave me some pointers, and we alternated walking and running. I left the track feeling good, yet something told me I could do much better if I just paced myself better. The next morning, I returned to the track and started off slowly and just kept jogging. It was slow, but I didn’t care. If I could endure the run, I figured the speed would come with more practice and more weight loss. It was a great feeling when I completed about three miles. I couldn’t believe it. Moreover, I didn’t know why I couldn’t believe in myself and kept doubting that I could do it. All my exercise dedication over the past couple of months was paying off!
About two weeks ago, I also booked a trip to go visit my mother in Florida later this week. A good friend is going to join me, and I’m excited because she’s really fit and I know having her with me means that I’ll also have someone to work out with and help keep me focused while away. Then something got into me. I found a 5K run in Tampa, and I thought how cool would that be to try the 5K there? I wasn’t sure if it was possible in just a matter of two weeks, but I began running a bit more.
On “tax day” this past week, I decided that since I had to mail my taxes, maybe I could run to the Hanscom Post office for a workout. That turned out to be quite the experience, feeling more like an episode of the Amazing Race than a leisurely run! Long story short, I only brought cash with me, and the post office had no change. I then jogged to the commissary to get change and was greeted by military police due to a bomb threat in the area. When told I could try to make it to the AFB Credit Union (but they would be closing shortly), I continued running and made it just before the bank closed. It was quite comical, because a friend later pointed out that I could have just bought stamps with my extra cash!
My first 5K run was moved up a week when my brother told me that he and my nephew would be running their first 5K today (Sunday). It was for a memorial scholarship for a friend of ours. I decided to join them.
There was a 3K walk, 3K run, 5K walk, and 5K run. We did the 5K run. I got there a bit early as I thought it began at 11, but that was registration. So we had to wait around for about an hour and 15 minutes or so. That got me a little worked up, because I also learned it would be a cross-country run! Why again was I not surprised that I was greeted with yet another new challenge? This would be a bit more challenging since I hadn’t done any off-road running yet. I was very nervous.
There was a very small turnout. It was only the third annual run, and it wasn’t advertised all that well. I was glad there weren’t too many people though. I think only about 20 people were running, and the rest were walking. We started off having to run around this large field. The grass was uncut, uneven and my breathing was very labored. The rest of the pack took off, and I was in the back. In no time they were moving further and further out of my sight, and I could hear the walkers behind me in the distance. I remember telling myself that I would likely come in in last place, but I was just hoping the walkers wouldn’t catch up to me. The first half mile I remember wondering what the heck I had gotten myself into. As we rounded the large field (maybe the size of a football field), we entered the woods. It was uphill for the beginning and VERY challenging. I can’t believe that the trail was not groomed. In some areas it looked like they had attempted to rake, while in others I was running over sticks, leaves, and rocks and praying I wouldn’t roll my ankle. All of a sudden I could hear someone running behind me! Hey, this meant I wasn’t in last place after all! It was two women, and one was coaching the other. Oh, they got so close, but I kicked it up a notch. Even though I figured it was inevitable they would pass me, I wanted to stay ahead of them as long as I could. The trail had quite a bit of uphill, but I kept telling myself to run over it, not into it, as a fellow team member recently told me. All these mantras were running through my head! My trainer, Cyndi Lou, who is running the Boston Marathon tomorrow (go Cyndi!!!) told us that even she uses mantras to get her through. I thought about her positive encouragement many times throughout the run.
The challenging part is that I couldn’t catch much relief on the downhill because my footing was so unstable with all the junk in the trails. I remembered a friend telling me to let my stride get a little longer on the downhills to give myself a little break and that helped. As I came out of the woods, I was lapped by the second-place runner. I still had to do another half loop on the field again and go back into the woods for another round. I could hear the ladies behind me again, and I just kept the pressure on. So round I went and managed to stay ahead of the two women behind me.
I jogged the entire time, but my time was not great. I was just pleased that I didn’t come in last. But to be honest, that would have been okay too. I just wanted to complete it. I told my nephew that I came in third–third to last! We laughed about it. It just so happened that some of the people running were running just the 3K, and they gave out medals for each top three finishers of the 3K and 5K Well, the funny thing is that only five women ran the 5K, and believe it or not, that meant I came in third for the ladies!!!! 
It was quite comical that I actually got a medal!!! I kept my race tee-shirt and number on, along with my medal hanging around my neck, for my entire drive home.
I’ve now lost over 36 pounds and I hope to complete my next 5K (a road race this time) in Tampa next Sunday (two 5K races in one week)! I’ll try to do so with a “smile,” so as to encourage others who think jogging is less than desirable (see quote above.) What a great feeling, and although I made it possible for myself and I put in the hard work, I have many friends to thank for all their encouragement and support. They have been amazing. You all know who you are, so thank you. And thank you, Cyndi Lou and all those involved in the Lincoln Laboratory Biggest Loser competition for changing my life!
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2 Responses to “A first 5K… and a new life ahead”
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Love it!!!! One of my mantras is “Gotta keep the bounce going”. Good luck and have fun next week.
Congratulations on your 5K and your remarkable weight loss!