Running

Cost of new shoes: $50

Race entry fee: $37.98

The feeling I had crossing the finish line: PRICELESS

I did it!

Last week I ran the Dam to Dam 20K in Des Moines, Iowa. 12.4 miles in 2 hours and 10 minutes. I still can't believe I did it. I'm even a little emotional about it writing it almost a week later. I'll write more for those who was to read it, but there's the condensed version.

In February my SIL Jennie invited me and our other SIL, Tammie, to run the 20K with her. I emailed back - "Ya right". I am not a runner. I don't like running. I'm not good at running. I didn't want to do it. She emailed back something along the lines of, "That's fine, I know you're not a runner." But what I heard was, "You can't do it and we can." Dumb, I know. It didn't help that my loving husband also mocked me for even thinking about it, as if it were soooooo impossible for me to do.

(me, Tammie and Jennie)

So I started "running" and I couldn't do one lousy stinking mile, even at 5.5 on the treadmill. But I kept doing it - all the time the idea of showing everyone wrong pushing me further. And this went on for a couple months. Then I did my first "long" run - 6 miles. It was awful. I hated every second of it. I hurt and the whole time all I could think of was how stupid I was for thinking I could do this along with a string of negative thoughts to go with it. I was so discouraged I didn't do another long run until 4 weeks before the race. Afterwards, I got in my car and cried, and then called Jennie and wailed to her about the absurdity of my efforts.

This was when I knew I needed to call in the big guns and my friend Lora volunteered to help me out. This girl can run and talk AT THE SAME TIME. Amazing. I have no idea how she does it. All I could do was try to keep up with her and give one word answers. If I tried to tell a story we had to stop and walk afterwards because I winded myself so badly. Having a running buddy was great for me though because it stopped the strain of negative thoughts that inevitably creeped into my brain.

I was reading Runner's World while I was training and came across a quote from Natalie Coughlin, the Olympic swimmer. She said that she was used to "being in her head" from swimming, so that aspect of running wasn't difficult for her. A light came on for me. I wasn't used to being in my own head. I was (am?) a gymnast. Our routines last 1 minute and 30 seconds, max., and it's better if you aren't in your head because logic tells you flipping around like that is bound to get you hurt. I'd never had to deal with this. Wow.
So running got easier - sort of. Then race day came. Two of my sweet friends gave me race care packages that were so awesome! My SIL's and I got up at 4:30 and it was raining, but by 6:30 it was beautiful. We started running and everything was great, until around mile 4 when Jennie, who was supposed to be our group leader and pace setter, very suddenly dropped out because she was sick. Tammie and I kept going and finished together, and Jennie came across about 20 minutes later.

There were funny things that happened along the way - at mile 11 the guy right in front of me ran to the side and hurled - which I really didn't need to see. There were bands on the side of the road and one was playing Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here" which made me think of my goofy friend Eric (a.k.a.midnight man), at the top of a hill around mile 9.5 an army drill sergeant yelled at us to "GET THE LEAD OUT, YOU DON'T WALK IN A RACE, MOVE YOUR A$$" which made me laugh. At one point I was struggling when I made eye contact with a guy on the side of the road who then yelled, "Good job 5110 (my #), keep going". All these things helped me get through it. At the end Tammie was really struggling and I think that I felt like I needed to keep it light for her and keep her going, which in turn made it easier for me. And then Derek and the boys met me at the finish line - which felt so good.

(I'm in the blue shorts, running towards the finish line)

(me and Tammie)

Anyway - if you're still reading my rambling, it was a great race. I can't believe I did it. I didn't think I could. For months my mind and my body were telling me no no no, but it was a yes. I learned a lot about myself training for this race. I didn't expect going into it how much different I'd be at the end. I can't wait to do it with these women next year!