I had tried to run numerous times before but I always gave up when I would feel pain or get shin splints. I really didn't know what I was doing and was pushing myself too hard and just giving it without warming up, or taking it easy. I would always say, "I can't run; I get hurt". "I can't run, I have bad knees, ankles, you name it, I had the excuse". I still had the excuses going when the instructor emailed me a poster of the program, this excuse though was, I go to Zumba on that night. I thought about it and I thought why not. It's a free program; I'll give it another whirl since it would involve running with others so that would give me extra motivation. I had missed the first night of training as we were away from the area so I couldn't make it, and I felt bad because that was starting out on a not very good note. I got the homework and package from the instructor when I got back and she assigned me the homework. On April 23/12, I downloaded the free mapmyrun app and got it synced up to my phone and away I went on my first homework run. Tough run but I did it. I was supposed to get two homework runs in before the Group Run on the Thursday so I went out on the next day and did it. My legs were killing me and all those aches and pains that I felt before when I started running came back to me. I was determined to do it this time because the group was in my home community. Thursday night was our Group Run. I was glad that I had done my two homework runs as they bump us up every week. We took a photo of us on our Week Two (my first week).
This was a nine week program and every week we would get bumped up a little more and then we would have to do two homework runs before our group run the next week.
I was working hard and was self-conscious about people seeing me run so I tended to stick to the beach where not too many people were using at the time of the year. I ran my first 5K by myself on April 18 and here's my proud self-portrait I snapped afterward with my iPhone. It took me 36:13 to do 5.24K. Unfortunately, I don't know the time it took to do my 5K as I never had my Nike GPS Sportwatch at the time.
Our goal was to run the Huron House Boys Run after our program was over but the organizers did a fun thing and organized a practise 5K run for our final week's run. It was supposed to be 5K but someone had moved around the signs after they were placed, and it was actually 4.68 kilometres but we didn't know it at the time. Here are a few photos from our final week.
Was very cool as afterwards we went inside and had something to eat together and then we were presented with some bags containing some neat running gear, and we got a certificate for completing the program. I also was one of the lucky winners who got an iPod shuffle and a $25 iTunes gift card. Here's a photo of my certificate along with my two awesome run instructors. Next blog will the Boys Home Run 5K which was my first run.
