This past weekend I ran some races, faced some fears and regained a few parts of myself in the process. This weekend was my first big challenge since having Baby G three months ago.
It was a good weekend for me and I’m nothing but positive with moving forward. A few weeks back, I found out I was accepted as a Rock n Roll race series ambassador through the Rock n Blog program. This is something I have been chasing for awhile (3 years) and it finally arrived on my doorstep when I had really given up hope. I just applied because that is what I do. I am very blessed to have this opportunity and I will take full advantage of the opportunity. On to the weekend…
The weekend consisted of the expo and two days of running. I was very happy to be back in the mix here again because it’s been so long. I really was just taking in the experience. It was St. Patrick’s Day so I had to wear my green and represent some of my sponsors along the way. I am extremely proud to be doing another round with Team Chocolate Milk and joining the Fitletic team for the first year. I had to get a new belt from Fitletic, it was crucial for my weekend running plans. I ended up with the Hydro 12 running belt which worked perfectly for race day.
Saturday morning we got up to run the 5K at Fair Park. Confession: I’ve never actually been the fair out there. I’ve been to the Cotton Bowl for an Ole Miss game and ran all over that place, but never actually been to the fair. Maybe I’ll make it out there.
I’m getting used to running with the stroller and this was the first time Baby G got to see what was going on. I usually have to keep it closed because the weather has been wonky. She loved every minute of it but I’m sure she’s glad the jogging stroller has shocks on it. I did good pushing that stroller and it felt a little easier.
I think I finished the 5K in 44:05 and I didn’t break anyone’s ankle with the stroller. It was a win all the way around.
After the race, we headed back to the expo to hang out with the We Run Social and Rock n Bloggers crew. It’s always nice to see old friends and meet some new people.
Sunday morning was going to be big for me. This is part of the weekend that gave me the most fear. I haven’t run anything longer than 6.22 miles since last May. I knew I wasn’t ready to “perform” but I was just ready to be out there. I really didn’t go into race day with any goals other than to finish. I wanted to give it an honest effort just to see where I was physically so the only thing that mattered was making it to the finish line.
I really just needed to get out there throw myself back into the mix and to see if I wanted to devote more time to running. Things have changed with having a baby and I just needed to know if this was going to be something I would make time for again or if I should just move on from it. I told Missy I would walk the first 3 miles with her so we started out together. She was experiencing some foot pain and made the smart decision to call it quits at mile 3.4. The course was hilly and it was hot, I think that was the best decision for her because she wouldn’t risk any more injury to herself.
Obviously, I’m not in full running form and this course was hard. I was out there to crush my fears and to move forward. It was hot. It was hilly. I must be honest, my eating habits (meaning eating) hasn’t been on point since having the baby. Sometimes I look up and have completely missed a meal. I’ve been working hard to fix this and be more conscious of eating. This was a struggle for me but I just needed to get through it.
As far as running, some things are coming back naturally and other things I’m having to relearn. I definitely need to focus on my hydration and refueling during runs. But like I said, this was the first time I’ve done anything over a 10K. All of those things will come with time. I just need to stay focused. But I did manage to have lots of fun along the way which made me think running is something that I LOVE to do and is a HUGE part of me. There’s no way I’m giving it up now. In those humbling moments during those 13.1 miles, I still enjoyed every minute of it and my attitude was great!
I finished the half marathon in 3:22:22 seconds. It was my slowest race ever but it was something I had to do. As I was running the final stretch, I thought about all the things I needed to do to improve. I need to be consistent with my running. I need to focus on strength in my legs and correct form. I need to focus on recovery so I can continue to stay strong. That’s why I was so glad there was low fat chocolate milk at the finish line. It’s got the right carb to protein ratio to aid in recovery and I know I needed it! I could barely walk when I finished the race. No lie, I was worried there wouldn’t be any because I was in the back of the pack, but there was.
Two days of running got me three medals and a little bit of my old self back. I can’t wait to see what is next and how I’m going to tackle my new set of goals.
